


For the Better

by MajesticAnna



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Being in love but the other person not realizing it?? Dumb boys, First Kiss, Fluff, Kagehina is the main, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Tobio is oblivious, established daisuga, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-30 09:46:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 27,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14494266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MajesticAnna/pseuds/MajesticAnna
Summary: Kageyama Tobio has just graduated from high school. Now, he's dealing with the fact that he and his best friend Hinata are going to different universities.The people we care about the most are the ones who bring out the best in us.A story about being in love but too stupid to realize it.





	For the Better

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! My name is Anna and this is my very first fic! Of course, it being me, I wrote this monster one-shot instead of a short piece. Go big or go home, I guess, right?
> 
> *sigh*
> 
> I made a playlist for this fic (really just put some songs together that have inspired me while writing) which you can find on Spotify [here.](https://open.spotify.com/user/margiept89/playlist/6WZLX60zv14mTH69gU1WBm?si=_e3qndkYQSezV5bI07YlYg)
> 
> With that being said, I hope you enjoy my stupid boys.

He opened his eyes slowly, blearily wiping them and stretching his arms. He had slept well last night. The sound of birdsong caressed his ear, reminding him that spring was here. He sighed, feeling completely at ease. Judging by the sunlight streaming in through his window, he still had time. Maybe he would even have time to eat breakfast today.

He climbed out of bed and gazed around looking for his… bag. His eyes fell upon his overturned uniform and rolled up diploma nearby.

Oh. Right.

No school today.

Tobio had graduated.

Memories of the past day swirled in his brain. Yesterday had seemed to pass in a whirlwind, gone before Tobio had had a chance to take it all in. He remembered his name being called, pictures being taken, yearbooks being distributed, and a bright-haired figure waving frantically goodbye. But that was it. The nerves and excitement of the day had made the time pass faster than he realized. He had blinked and now it was all over.

Tobio’s gut twisted at the memories, but a small smile still reached his face. For some reason, remembering his friend’s farewell had made him sentimental.

Hinata Shouyou had been his partner throughout his years in high school. A person on whom he could always rely, Hinata was a constant, bubbly enigma that Tobio never quite understood. His hair was as intense as his personality and he was always pushing Tobio to the limits of his patience. No matter how many times Hinata spiked a ball, he was constantly waiting for another toss.

It got even worse when Hinata increased his game sense, passing beautifully or hitting a powerful spike. Not that Tobio ever told him. His friend was, if he was honest, an astounding volleyball player. The way he voraciously consumed volleyball plays and skills was terrifying. His improvement in three short years was impressive, and it was no surprise that he was recruited by various universities. Tobio remembered how he had dismissed Hinata as a wasted talent, a guy with great physical abilities he was not using. Now there was no question how fierce Hinata was on the court.

Deep in reliving his memories, Tobio’s heart leapt slightly at remembering the way Hinata’s eyes looked when he was focused on a game.

Tobio was breathing heavily, even faintly sweating. What was stranger was the way reminiscing had made him feel. He felt… happy. But also a little sad. He would never see those intense eyes again except on the other side of the court.

Tobio breathed and tried to reset his mind. He looked around his room, cleaning up as he moved around. His mom would be upset if he didn’t start on his laundry soon.

As he was sorting his darks from his whites, his phone buzzed with a notification.

 **3:43 PM Hinata Shouyou:** Hey! Are you up for a pickup match tomorrow?

Tobio considered the question for a millisecond before responding.

 **3:44 PM Kageyama Tobio:** Yes. Who’s going?

 **3:44 PM Hinata Shouyou:** The third years: Suga, Daichi, and Asahi. Plus, a few others like Tanaka, Tsukki, and Noya.

 **3:45 PM Kageyama Tobio:** They are not third years anymore. We are.

 **3:45 PM Kageyama Tobio:** Well, not anymore. We’re graduates.

 **3:46 PM Hinata Shouyou:** Of course, I know that, Bakeyama! But they’re still our senpai! And I will refer to them as third years until the

day I die.

 **3:46 PM Kageyama Tobio:** Ok.

 **3:47 PM Hinata Shouyou:** Anyways, they said to meet us at 4pm, is that good with you?

 **3:48 PM Kageyama Tobio:** Yes.

 **3:48 PM Hinata Shouyou:** Don’t forget your volleyball gear! It’ll be like a real practice with our old teammates!

 **3:49 PM Kageyama Tobio:** Yes.

 **3:50 PM Hinata Shouyou:** You really suck at texting.

Tobio blushed, but was quickly distracted by the details of the meet-up. Apparently, the (old) third years asked Coach Ukai to use the school gym so they could relive their Nationals days. Tobio was excited to go back to the gym, as he had retired from the club after the spring tournament. They had to retire to “focus on their studies” but Tobio felt that it was pointless. He’d much rather spend his time on the court, especially if he was training in order to be chosen as a starter on the university team. Plus, he needed to get better if he wanted to progress his way to the men’s national team. Yes, he participated in the U18 team, but that didn’t mean he could stop practicing.

Tobio kept up with his skills by practicing at various clubs in Miyagi, but it was nothing like the camaraderie and rapport he had built with his teammates at Karasuno. They constantly pushed each other, and, along with the training camps, were constantly implementing new attacks. He longed for the long days, the tired muscles, and the feeling of accomplishment. He missed the club room, the storage room, the court, the nets, the volleyballs, and the teammates that made it feel like home.

Tobio hurriedly grabbed his clothes and brought them to the washer. He was looking forward to Friday, and secretly was hoping to see a certain middle blocker.

****

On Friday, Tobio got his volleyball gear together and started his journey to Karasuno. It felt weird to be going back to school, knowing he would not have to attend classes there ever again. _This might be the last time I walk this route_ , Tobio thought. So he took his time, weaving through the streets while the spring air tickled his cheek.

It was a beautiful day, complete with the fresh air against his skin. Spring was early this year and in a few weeks, the sakura blossoms would cascade down the street. Tobio enjoyed that time of year. He felt it was a time for new beginnings, new promises to be made. Not that he had anything to promise this year. Still, it was a nice thought.

As he turned the corner, the school in his sight, Tobio thought of plays he would be able to do with his former teammates. Maybe he could practice setting some quicks, or a few pipes? Coming through the center would be good if—

WHOOSH

A sudden flurry of motion distracted him from his thoughts. Hinata was sprinting in front of him towards the gym.

“Try to keep up, Bakeyama!” Hinata shouted back.

“HINNNAATAAAA BOKEEEEEEE!” Tobio screamed, as he barreled after him.

Tobio sprinted and was catching up to Hinata, but Hinata’s speed had always been exemplary. Hinata went into overdrive, and put in a few more bursts of energy, slamming into the gym door first. He collapsed into a heap outside the door and Tobio soon followed.

They spent the next few minutes trying to slow their breathing, a pile of limbs and sweaty bodies.

“HA!” Hinata exclaimed in between heavy breaths. “That’s another win for me! What are we at now? Oh, that’s right! 187 wins, 182 losses, and 20 ties. That means I’m the winner of our races!”

Tobio glared at him and spat out, “only because you had head starts! Stupid Hinata!”

“Ahhh, Kageyama-kuuun. Are you upset that you’re a loser? Not used to losing, are you, Kageyama?” Hinata said in a sing-song voice. He got up from the ground and started dancing around. “No, being a king makes you think you’re invincible! But, I, the noble Hinata, have defeated you!”

Tobio looked up in amusement. “I thought I told you not to call me a king?”

“Bahh,” Hinata said, waving him off. “That was before you became a good king. Now you’re kind to your subjects. I thought you had accepted your status as a king?” Hinata waggled his eyebrows.

“I did, but I was just thinking about our first year. When you first called me a king.”

“Ah, it was so long ago.”

“But sometimes it seems like it was just yesterday,” Tobio said. “Back when we first made the minus tempo attack. Those were the days.” Tobio stood up and started walking towards Hinata. “You know, I’ve been talking to my coach. It’s not too late to transfer schools. You could still— ”

“Kageyyyyyamma,” Hinata cut him off. “We’ve been through this! It’s too far from Miyagi and I want to be somewhat close to my family. Mom needs some help with Natsu on the weekends, and I told her I would try for the first semester. Maybe in the future I could transfer—”

“The spots might be filled by then!” Tobio exclaimed. “Look, your school is good, but it’s nowhere near the level of mine. You don’t want to spend the next few years in a place where you’re not playing to the best of your abilities.”

“Oh, so you think I need to be on _your_ team to improve?” Hinata replied snarkily, eyes ablaze. “I may have relied on you in the past, but I can play just fine on my own, now.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then, what did you mean?”

“I mean. I just—,” Tobio said, struggling with the words. He didn’t even know what he wanted to say. “Well. What I mean to say is that I—we—make a good team and I think you’d—we’d benefit from…”

“From…?”

Tobio’s face flushed in embarrassment. What was he getting so worked up for? The words sounded fine in his head but they weren’t coming out right.

“The reason doesn’t matter,” Tobio finally settled on.

“Uh, yeah, Bakeyama, it does. This is my future we’re talking about here. But, if that doesn’t matter to you—”

“It does matter to me!” Tobio shouted. He tried a different route. “If you would just talk to your mom, I’m sure she’d under—”

“Hinata! Kageyama!”

Their intense conversation was interrupted by the friendly greeting of their former teammate. Sugawara grinned at them, his smile a total contrast to their fiery emotions. Suga was able to read the situation quickly.

“Ahhhh, are my two favorite duo of weirdos fighting again?” Suga said, grinning radiantly. “What is it this time? Upset about losing a race?”

“No, Kageyama was just—oof” Hinata tried speaking, but Tobio punched him in the side.

“Yes,” Tobio replied. “Hinata seems to think he’s the winner of our races even though he clearly cheats.”

“Not true!” Hinata whined. “My wins are all fair! It’s not my fault you’re slow.”

“Starting the race before I’m ready is a _clear_ violation of the rules. If you want a fair race, we can start right—“

“Okay, okay. We get it,” Suga interjected, rolling his eyes. “You two sure haven’t changed, still arguing over which one of you is the fastest. Does everything have to be a competition between you two? Don’t answer that,” he added, when Tobio looked like he was going to do just that. “Well, I guess this is what I signed up for when I asked you to join us.”

“Speaking of which,” Hinata replied, looking around, “where is everyone else?”

“They already went to the club room to get changed. We heard quite the ruckus so I went to go check it out. You both seem to be unprepared. Or were you planning on playing in that?” Suga added, eyeing their casual clothes.

Hinata and Tobio blushed. Caught up in their usual shenanigans, they had completely forgotten they were there to play volleyball. They mumbled their apologies for causing trouble and immediately walking to the room to get changed.

The air between them was charged, and Tobio felt quite uncomfortable. Hinata was ignoring him completely, choosing instead to converse with Sugawara. They were talking about Suga’s life at university, including Suga’s relationship with their former captain.

“Yeah,” Suga said, smiling softly. “Things are great between me and Daichi. He takes good care of me, and I make sure to scare off any girls chasing after him.”

Suga and Hinata laughed, and Tobio felt a twinge in his stomach at the bright expression on Hinata’s face. Hinata’s eyes crinkled and the warmth seemed to radiate off him. His smile was a bit crooked, and he had a dimple in his right cheek that you wouldn’t notice if you didn’t look hard enough. He looked so happy. Tobio wished he could make Hinata look like that.

Tobio shook his head to clear his thoughts, and noticed that Suga was looking at him while Hinata jabbered on about his schedule for the upcoming semester. He had been caught staring at Hinata. Blushing, he found himself unable to hold his senpai’s gaze. Suga smirked to himself and responded to Hinata’s question about whether to take a certain class during the volleyball season or not.

“Well, from what I remember of your study habits and what I’ve heard from other students, that intro to English class was harder to take than the history class, so I would say that you should take…” Suga responded while Hinata looked at him with rapt attention.

Tobio missed the rest as his mind wandered to what plays would be best to implement in the practice match today. He assumed he would be on the same team as Hinata so they could execute their minus tempo attack.

Hinata had said Tsukki would be here today, so that meant he might have the added power of the smart plays by the middle blocker—though he’d never tell Tsukki that. Plus he was tall, so that was an asset as well. The real question was whether Noya or Daichi would be on his team. Their receiving prowess was intense and had only improved as the years went on…

“Man, Kageyama, you must be thinking about something really hard. You look constipated, and you got that scowling look on your face.”

Tobio was pulled from his thoughts by the flood of other voices around him. While he was thinking about plays, their group had arrived at the club room. Tobio looked around for the voice teasing him and found Tanaka gazing at him with a smile.

The others laughed at Tanaka’s remark, and Tobio responded with a grimace. “Just thinking about volleyball.”

“Do you ever stop? It’s like you don’t have an off switch. Well, I guess that’s to be expected from a volleyball robot,” Tsukishima said, a smirk on his face.

“And Saltyshima rears his ugly head!” Tanaka replied boisterously. “You guys sure haven’t changed. It really feels like the gang’s back together again! If only Kiyoko-san were here…” He added dreamily.

“Kiyoko-san! I wonder how our beautiful manager is doing,” Nishinoya, the small libero, added.

“I heard Shimizu and Yachi-san were hanging out today. They might stop by later,” Suga said, speaking of the teams former team managers.

“Ah, I miss Yacchan! How’s she doing, Hinata?” asked Nishinoya.

Hinata blushed furiously at the implication. “Why would I know anything about that?”

“Everyone knows about your crush on her! I was sure you two would end up together. What happened?” Tanaka pressed.

“Yacchan and I agreed a long time ago not pursue our feelings. She said it would be too hard to do long distance when we were going to different universities, and she didn’t want the break up to be painful. Plus,” Hinata added, blushing all the while. “She said I was…” He mumbled the rest.

“What was that?” asked Noya.

“That I was…”

“Hinata, speak up!” Tanaka exclaimed.

“She said I was in love with someone else,” Hinata finished, not daring to look at any of his senpai in the eye. Tobio’s stomach dropped to the floor. He could barely breathe.

“OOOOOH! Yacchan said that?! Brutal!” Tanaka proclaimed. After a slight pause, while the others were changing, he added, “Well, then who is it?”

“Who’s what?” Hinata said, trying to ignore the question.

“Duh! Who do you love?” Noya asked.

Tobio wanted the answer just as much as Noya, but at the same time, he wanted nothing more than to run away and hide in his room. He was scared of what Hinata’s answer would be.

“You two really are oblivious,” Tsukki said, glancing up from his conversation with Yamaguchi.

“Alright, alright. Let’s leave the love talk behind. Hinata obviously doesn’t want to answer,” Daichi, their former captain, said. In fact, Hinata looked like he might spontaneously combust on the spot, his face becoming as bright as his hair.

 _Cute_ , Tobio thought.

“How about we go play some volleyball?” Daichi said to the room. The cheers that resounded in the room made Tobio just a little more excited. He was about to play his favorite sport with his favorite people. _If only I could keep these distracting thoughts out of my head_ , Tobio thought, finally changing clothes and joining the others as they left the room.

****

“Well, this is going terribly.”

Tobio looked up, his hands pressed on his knees. They were playing a 4 vs 4 match, with Noya subbing in on both sides and Ennoshita refereeing, because not everyone could come. Tobio glared at Tsukki and his snarky words, but he wasn’t wrong.

Suga’s team was wiping the floor with them. Tobio and Hinata were not clicking, and they were missing a lot of connections. Hinata was still not speaking to him, and he didn’t know how to apologize. It was really affecting the game flow. Of course, their years of practice together were not for nothing, but they were not dominating like usual. Hinata looked more pissed off than focused on the game, and Tobio was tiptoeing around him.

“Trouble in paradise?” Tsukki continued, egging Tobio on. “I never would’ve thought you two would bring your marital spats to the court. But I guess I shouldn’t have expected so much from two idiots.”

“Would you please shut up?” Tobio snapped back.

“Ah, is the king upset? Maybe things would be better if you talked it out. Or,” Tsukki added, creeping closer to Tobio and finally whispering in his ear, “you could just tell him you care about him and make this less painful for all of us.”

Tobio tried to come up with a retort but instead just made a bunch of fumbling noises that sounded like a dying seal. Tsukki chuckled and walked away, leaving everyone to imagine what he had said that had made the setter a blustering imbecile.

Daichi called a timeout and pulled Tobio and Hinata to the side.

“I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but could you put it aside for now? We have a game to play,” Daichi said. He added, “Hinata, those receives were looking very good. You’ve been working on them!”

Hinata, who was scowling, instantly brightened. “Ah, thanks, Captain!”

“I’m going to talk to the others. Please, communicate, okay?”

Daichi left them alone, taking all the good vibes with him.

Tobio didn’t know what to say, so he started with, “I’m sorry.”

Hinata, eyeing him warily, responded, “For what, exactly? You never actually told me why you are so insistent about getting me to go to your university.”

Tobio sighed. He said, “I’m just sorry, okay? It’s your decision. I shouldn’t have gotten so angry.”

“Okayyyyyy,” Hinata replied. “But, I still want to know why you care so much.”

“I… I—it’s,” Tobio tried. His thoughts were taking him in another direction, but he ignored them. “I don’t know why I care, okay? I just do.”

Tobio’s eyes searched the room, as if he might find the answer there. “Can we restart for now? Pretend we didn’t fight and play some volleyball? Just for today? I don’t know when we’ll be able to play a match with each other again.”

Hinata looked at him with a strange expression. Finally, he gave in, saying “well, I guess that’s fine for now. You were pretty lousy.” Hinata grinned and said, “send me some better tosses, alright?”

Tobio rolled his eyes and said, “maybe, if you can actually hit them! Where were you aiming that last spike? It went right to Noya!”

They both laughed, continuing to tease each other. Daichi looked on and smiled to himself. They really hadn’t changed at all.

****

The rest of the game continued more smoothly. The boys had put their problems aside, deciding to focus on the game. They were not playing at their greatest, but it was good enough. Besides, Hinata and Tobio’s average day was a regular player’s best. So they won, and that put them in good spirits. They had walked with their former teammates to Sakanoshita for some meat buns.

After the reminiscing, the “what-have-you-been-up-to”?’s, and the revelry, the former team said their goodbyes, with promises to keep in touch. In all honesty, Tobio was a little bit worried. Sure, he had kept in touch with most of his teammates, but things had changed. They all had a life outside of the world in which he knew them. He would never know their new friends, their experiences in class, or the life they now led. Of course, they would always share their high school memories, but would that be enough? Would that be enough to hold them together against the ever-changing tide pulling them in vastly different directions? Would they still have enough in common, after all the changes, to still be friends?

Tobio tried to stop thinking about it, but the issue weighed on his mind. It wasn’t until he almost walked straight into a light pole that he even realized there was someone walking next to him.

“Ah, Bakeyama! Watch where you’re going!” exclaimed Hinata, pulling Tobio out of the way and back into the present.

“Wha? What are you doing here?” Tobio asked, looking around for the others. They were alone. The only creature around was a cat, slinking into the shadows cast by the setting sun. It was still warm, and the first hints of the upcoming spring scented the air. The trees were not in full bloom, but buds were beginning to sprout, reaching for the sun’s warmth. Tobio found the atmosphere quite peaceful, but he could almost taste the awkwardness ruminating in the air that he had missed while lost in thought.

Hinata glanced at him with something indistinguishable swimming in his deep, brown eyes. He was keeping his bike steady with both hands, but he seemed to be clenching and unclenching his hands in frustration. Hinata sighed, looking at the surroundings before finally responding. “We always walk home together after practice, remember?

“Yes, but I thought you were mad at me?”

“I am! You really frustrate me, you know,” Hinata said, his eyes full of irritation.

“I’m sorry.”

“You already said that.”

“What do you want me to say, then?”

“I want you to explain to me why you care so much about where I go to school. And please don’t just avoid the question, again,” Hinata added, when it seemed like Tobio was going to worm his way out of answering.

Tobio sighed. He tried to avoid looking in Hinata’s eyes as he finally answered. “Well, I just realized, I care where you go after high school. I don’t know why. I care where your life is going, who you befriend, what your roommate is like, how you’re doing in school, whether or not you like your professors, and basically everything else that goes around in your world.”

Tobio continued rambling on when Hinata seemed like he wouldn’t stop him.

“I want to be a part of your life. I don’t want this, this slim moment in time, to be the last thing we ever share together. When we go to university, we will be living completely different lives. You’ll have your team, and I’ll have mine. You will be thriving in your environment, while I struggle to make friends. I mean,” Tobio blushed at the next part, “I’m not as helpless as I once was, but I’m not like you. I can’t charm a room with just a smile. Don’t laugh!” Tobio said when Hinata giggled.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t know you were aware of your social ineptitude,” Hinata laughed, with a wink.

Tobio’s heart skipped a beat. Hinata’s eyes were crinkled in joy and his dimple was making an appearance. He almost lost his train of thought, but he quickly resumed speaking.

“I’m afraid,” Tobio said quietly. Hinata’s laughter died out. “I’m afraid of what’s going to happen to us. You’ll have a new setter, and I will be sending tosses to someone else. No more minus tempo attack,” he added, with a weak attempt at a smile. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll find you like their tosses more than mine.”

“That would never happen!” Hinata exclaimed. “Your tosses are the best!”

“But what if you like them more than me?”

“That wouldn’t happen! Well,” Hinata acquiesced, “maybe I would like them more if they were nicer than you. You can be a jerk sometimes.”

“Shut up.”

“Thank you for proving my point.”

Tobio glared, but quickly gave up his pouting. During their conversation, the sun had fully set, leaving behind the tendrils of nightfall. A few pink and orange light rays were hanging on, reluctant to say goodbye. Stars were awakening in the night sky, shining down as if to encourage them to voice their feelings and stop fighting. The streetlights had turned on and Tobio started to worry about Hinata’s route home.

“It’s getting late. The mountain trail on your way back won’t be easy to navigate in the dark. Maybe you should start heading home.”

“No! I want to finish this conversation. Please, continue. I won’t interrupt this time.” Hinata said, leaning his bike against the wall of a neighboring garden, turning his full attention to Tobio.

Tobio almost withered under the full power of Hinata’s gaze. Not being one to back down from a fight, he stood his ground. He gazed for a while, noticing absently the way Hinata’s eyes shone in the glare of the streetlight. Finally, he looked away, unable to keep staring any longer.

He waited a moment, before finally taking a breath. “We spent three years together. From the races, to the fights, to the laughter, to the games we won, and to those we lost. And, I wouldn’t trade them for anything. You were, to me, a partner. Someone on who I could always rely, through the thick and thin. Not only that, but you pushed me to be better. You made me a better person, a better player, a better communicator, and, in your own words, a better king. I’ll never be able to repay you for all the ways you’ve helped me.

But, what happens now? Now that we don’t have volleyball to keep us together. Now that we will be in completely different atmospheres, in completely different worlds. We say that we’ll keep in touch, but how long will that last? Can we maintain our relationship, surviving on texts and calls? I won’t be there to see you get better. I won’t be there when you ace a test, or when you completely fail. I won’t be there to see you spike, or to see you finally get a good serve in. I won’t be there, for the worst parts or the best ones. You can tell me about it, but I won’t be there. You’ll have someone else to high five when you win, or someone to help you commiserate a loss. Through the disconnect, will we still be able to survive?

Four years is a long time. We will change, our worlds will change, our dreams will change. Can our relationship survive it? I don’t want these past three years, however great they were, to be the last we have. I want more. I want to be with you when you experience life. You’re the closest friend I’ve ever had. And I don’t want to give that up.”

He finished, finally releasing a breath he didn’t know he was holding. His heart was racing, and he was a little flushed in the face from having to speak so plainly about his feelings. He sighed, trying to find the courage to look at Hinata again.

“Look, I’m sorry, but you asked, and it all came out—hey,” Tobio looked at Hinata worriedly. “Are you… are you crying?”

“Yes, Bakeyama!” Hinata sobbed, the traitorous tears escaping from where he was hiding behind his arms. He sniffed, wiping snot and tears all over himself. “How could I listen to that without crying? Getting my hopes up when you know—or I know—that you don’t feel—“ Hinata hiccupped and continued to cry.

Tobio was shocked. He didn’t know what to say or do, being quite terrible at comforting others. He reached out with his hand, awkwardly patting his friend’s back saying, “there, there”.

“How can you say things like that?” Hinata continued, becoming angry through the tears. “That we won’t be friends or we’ll lose touch!? Are you stupid?! I wouldn’t give up that easily! I’ll visit you every weekend! But, I have to take care of Natsu…” Hinata trailed off, dissolving into more tears.

Tobio continued to pat Hinata’s back. He felt it wasn’t enough, so he reached out and took Hinata into his arms. Hinata froze, and the crying seemed to stop for a moment. Tobio shifted into a more comfortable position and began to make soothing circles on Hinata’s back. Hinata slowly relaxed into the motion, beginning to quiet down. He continued to cough and hiccup into Tobio’s shoulder, but the tears seemed to flow silently now.

“I don’t want to give up on us either,” Hinata finally croaked. “I want to be in your life as much as possible. But, I have obligations. I have responsibilities. So I can’t go to your university. I just can’t.”

“I know. We’ll make it work. I promise,” Tobio said. He hoped he would never have to break that vow.

“Ugh, I’m a mess. I can’t believe I actually cried,” Hinata said, releasing his friend from their embrace. Tobio felt the emptiness Hinata left, and he almost grabbed Hinata back into his arms. The warmth he left seemed to hurt Tobio as much as help him.

“You did cry a lot. I’m a little embarrassed for you. Your eyes are all puffy,” Tobio laughed, trying to ease the tension.

“Idiot! They are not!” Hinata said, trying to check his reflection in his phone.

“You’re right, you look fine,” Tobio acquiesced.

In fact, Hinata looked more than fine. There were still tear marks on his face, his eyes were slightly red, but they only seemed to add to his attractiveness. His eyes were shiny from the tears, gleaming like brown topaz stones. His lips were slightly swollen, and Tobio couldn’t help but stare at them.

“Kageyama?”

Tobio started. “Yes?”

“Are you okay? You were staring at me for a little bit. Is there something on my face?” Hinata asked.

“No,” Tobio said, blushing.

“Okay? Anyways, I should probably get back soon. You were right, it’s getting late,” Hinata said, moving his bike.

“Right,” Tobio replied, numbly.

“Kageyama?”

“Yes?”

“What you said before... about us being best friends,” Hinata continued, blushing for some reason unbeknownst to Tobio, “was that all you had to say?”

“Um, yeah?” Tobio said, confused. Of course, Hinata was his best friend. Did he not feel the same? “You’ve been my best friend for years.”

“Right,” Hinata said, shaking his head. “Friends. Best friends. I just thought, well maybe—never mind. I’ll see you later.”

Hinata hopped on his bike, beginning to make his way up the road. Tobio watched him, wondering what Hinata had been trying to say. All of a sudden, Hinata stopped, turning his head back to Tobio.

“Hey, Kageyama?”

“Yes?”

“Do you want to, I don’t know, maybe go to a market with me tomorrow?” Hinata asked, hope alight in his eyes.

“Uh, yeah! Of course!” Tobio responded, with excitement.

“Cool! Well, then, I’ll see you tomorrow!” Hinata called back, biking off into the warm night.

Tobio watched him until he turned the corner and was gone. He felt quite content. Other than upsetting Hinata, his day had been good. He had gotten to see his friends and play volleyball, two of his favorite things. Now, he had plans for the next day with Hinata. Maybe, in between his training for the university team, he could spend his month off with him. They could spend their last days before school together, creating enough memories to cross the distance that would separate them. His heart alight with a feeling he couldn’t quite explain, he marched on into the darkness, thinking of all the things he’d say to Hinata tomorrow.

****

Tobio awoke early the next morning. He was used to waking early to go for his morning jog. Barely awake, rubbing sleep from his eyes, Tobio changed into his sweats and began to stretch. The morning was cooler than yesterday, reminding the world that they were still technically in winter. Finishing his stretches, Tobio slipped on his running jacket and moved outside into the brisk air.

The day would be a good one, Tobio was sure of it. His plans with Hinata had been all sorted out, and he was meeting him at the station in a short while. He had already begun thinking through his outfit options before realizing that Hinata wouldn’t care. Why do I care how I look in front of him anyways, Tobio thought. Just as he was dismissing the train of thought, he had suddenly picked out the perfect outfit in his mind. His enthusiasm slipped into his running, and he picked up with a burst of speed. Nothing could go wrong that day.

After finishing his run, Tobio showered and changed into his clothes. He would be late if he didn’t hurry, and he didn’t want to make Hinata wait for him. He got his bike out and biked to the train station, his mind aloft with ideas of what they would do today.

Reaching the station, Tobio hopped off his bike and stored it on the rack. Due to his fast biking, he was a few minutes early when he arrived at their meeting spot. He sat on a bench, patiently waiting for Hinata, bouncing his leg in anticipation. As the minutes ticked by, Tobio’s impatience grew and he began to go down a dark path of thoughts. _Oh god, what if I’m at the wrong station? Or what if he crashed his bike when crossing the mountain? Or worse, what if he doesn’t really want to come and is planning to ditch me?_

Tobio was so lost in his thought spiral that he almost missed the arrival of a short redhead bounding into his line of sight.

“Kageyama?”

“Oh, Hinata! Er, you’re late,” Tobio finished, trying to recover by teasing him.

“Am not! You were early! Look!” Hinata extended his hand, showing his watch’s face to Tobio.

Hinata was right. Tobio had worried for nothing.

“Whatever,” Tobio grumbled.

“Ha ha! You just don’t like being wrong!” Hinata teased. “Anyways, are you ready to go?”

“Yes, let’s go.”

They began to walk to the ticket booth, requesting passes to a station near the market. They entered the terminal, feeding their ticket through the stall, and getting on the platform just as the train was arriving.

“Hurry, Kageyama!” Hinata yelled, grabbing Tobio’s hand and rushing to the train’s open doors. Tobio became hyperaware of his hand in Hinata’s and his heart began to race, having nothing to do with the fact that they were running.

With their speed, they reached the train right as the doors were closing. The train was a little crowded, so they were forced to stand. Tobio began to catch his breath, and realized he was still holding Hinata’s hand.

Hinata let go and scratched his head. “Er, sorry, I wasn’t thinking, I was trying to get us both to the train on time.”

They both laughed awkwardly and lapsed into silence. Tobio wanted to keep talking, so he said the first thing that came into his mind.

“You look nice.”

That was an understatement. Hinata was in a patterned button up and jeans. His hair was kept tame in a beanie that framed his face well. His jeans were dark, and he was wearing clean white sneakers. Tobio compared it to his cream cardigan, black shirt, and jeans. He felt confident leaving the house in it, but seeing Hinata look so good had made him feel a little insecure.

Hinata glowed under the praise, replying “thanks. So do you! I like the contrast of the cream and black, especially with your dark hair.”

Tobio flushed, pleased with the compliment. He suddenly didn’t feel insecure anymore. They started talking about volleyball and their former teammates. It was pleasant, even if the train was getting more crowded with each stop. Soon, they were pressed up against each other in order to make more room for other passengers. Tobio didn’t mind it, as Hinata was pleasantly warm. Not because of anything more than that. Not at all.

They arrived at their stop, exiting the train. Hinata was the one who was guiding them, as he had been to the market previously. He had to take a few extra steps to match Tobio’s long strides.

“Jeez, Kageyama, could you walk a little slower? I know I’m not as tall as you, you don’t have to rub it in,” Hinata said. Tobio flushed and slowed down a bit, but Hinata didn’t seem too peeved. Hinata started going on about what he wanted to buy that day.

“Maybe they’ll have some volleyball related things? Like a shirt or something? Maybe a headband? I’ve been trying to get into hair accessories to try and tame my wild hair...” Hinata said, rambling.

Tobio was listening, he really was, but he got distracted by the way the sunlight shone on Hinata’s face. The beanie hid some of his hair, but you could still see the tufts of hair caressing his face. Sunlight only added to this effect, his hair fashioning a glowing circlet atop his radiant face. In the sun, his brown eyes became precious gemstones and the freckles sprinkled on his nose seemed more prominent. His expression was one of euphoria, transforming him into a something resembling a sun god. He looked…

“Beautiful,” Tobio subconsciously murmured.

“What was that?” Hinata said, turning towards Tobio.

“Nothing,” Tobio replied, face coloring, turning his head forward to hide his shame. To change subjects, he asked, “Are we almost there?”

“Yes! It should be…right over here!” Hinata exclaimed, pulling Tobio forward by his arm.

Tobio once again became very aware of his surroundings, the warmth on his arm, the pleasant way it felt, and the emptiness he experienced when Hinata pulled away. They had arrived at the market, and Hinata was letting go again.

“You don’t have to let go,” Tobio said, quietly. Hinata turned towards him sharply.

“What was that?” Hinata asked, equal parts hope and doubt swimming in his eyes.

“I said, you don’t have to let go,” Tobio said, with a little more strength. He quickly tried to make an excuse, saying “it’s kind of cold. We have to keep warm. So, you can hold on.” Tobio gestured to his right arm.

Hinata eyed him, a smile slowly growing on his face. Tobio hoped Hinata didn’t see through his flimsy excuse to fulfill his desire to be near Hinata’s warmth. He was sure he did, but luckily Hinata was nice enough to ignore it.

Hinata reached up to Tobio’s arm and grasped it firmly: not too tight, but not loose either. Tobio’s own face stretched into a grin, and they resumed their walk to the market stalls. Tobio thought his heart would be beating fast at the contact, but he felt more comfortable than anything. It was as if he had been missing a piece he didn’t know was lost, and suddenly he was whole once again.

They were at the entrance, slowly making their way among the crowds and vendors advertising their merchandise. The sounds of buyers and sellers bargaining intermingled with the voices of those perusing the stalls. People rushed around to and fro, trying to stay together with their friends and family. Various voices and tones unfurled in the air, creating a cacophony of sound. Trinkets tinkled in the air, clothing swished on its hangings, orchestrating a symphony that was unique and all its own. Hinata was gripping his arm, and it was probably good he was doing so, as they could easily get separated.

“Do you see anything you like?” Tobio spoke, a tad bit louder than speaking voice so as to be heard over the crowd.

“Hmm… just looking for now,” Hinata said, smiling, looking at the plethora of stalls. He eyed the market with interest.

The market was quite large, so they had a lot of options to choose from in terms of purchasing merchandise. Tobio looked around, but nothing caught his eye.

“Thanks for meeting me so early,” Hinata said, finally breaking the peaceful silence. “I like coming to markets in the morning because all the best goods are gone by the afternoon.”

Tobio was intrigued by this turn of conversation. It hadn’t occurred to him that meeting in the morning would bother anyone. “It’s fine. I always get up early anyways.”

“Ah, yes, me too. Have to get my daily run in before starting the day. Or, my mountain bike ride to school,” Hinata added, with a slight huff of laughter. “Guess those days are behind me, now, though.”

Tobio murmured his agreement. “Do you miss it? High school?”

“Well, it hasn’t been that long. Only a few days, Kageyama,” Hinata laughed. He continued, saying, “But I guess, it has been a while since we’ve had a normal school day. I do miss the people, but not all the work. We both know I’m not the best at school.”

Tobio laughed. “You’ve got that, right.”

“Shut up,” Hinata said, leaning his body weight into Tobio a bit. Tobio’s heart leapt a bit at the extra contact. “I don’t want to hear that from you. Your grades were just as bad as mine!”

Suddenly, a memory resurfaced in Tobio’s mind. “Hey, do you remember that time we both were doing terribly in class as first years, and we almost had to miss out on the Tokyo training camps?”

“Yeah!” Hinata said, his eyes alight with glee. “We both failed one test so we had to retake a test, and we missed the first few games. But, then Saeko nee-san drove us to Tokyo!”

Tobio grinned at the memory. “Yeah, she really was a terrible, but speedy driver. I’m glad we survived.”

Hinata giggled. “Yeah! And remember our team was doing badly so when we entered the gym, we thought we looked so cool as the ‘saviors’ of the team? We really were idiots, back then, huh?”

“And we aren’t now?” Tobio smirked.

Hinata winked. “Well, maybe we still are, but I’d like to think we’ve improved.” He paused, still caught in their shared memory. “Man, we really would have failed without the help of our teammates. Especially Yacchan!”

Tobio flinched at the mention of their former manager.

“What was that?” Hinata asked.

“What was what?”

“That flinch just now. When I mentioned Yacchan?” Hinata added, for clarification. “Are you upset with her or something?”

“Oh, uh no. Just remembering something you said about her, yesterday,” Tobio said, awkwardly.

“Something I said…yesterday…” Hinata said, thinking back. “Oh!” He exclaimed. “Yeah. That.” Hinata’s face was reddening and the easy atmosphere turned heavy with uncomfortable tension.

Tobio’s own face was feeling hot, and the silence stretched between them. The sounds of the market began to feel oppressive. Finally, Tobio said, “So, uh, who was it?”

Hinata avoided the question by playing dumb. “Who was what?”

Tobio struggled with the words. “Who was the person that she, uh, said that you, er, l-l-love?”

Hinata forced a laugh, and looked anywhere but at Tobio’s eyes. He let go of Tobio’s arm, walked to a nearby stall, stopped and started to nervously fiddle with his hands. “Ha ha! Love! What is love? I love lots of people! I love my sister, and my mom, too! I love my friends, my teammates, my neighbor with the dog that always stops to say hello to me…I love lots of people! And I love things, too! Like volleyball, and meat buns, food in general is pretty good…” Hinata rambled on and on.

Not willing to let it go, Tobio interrupted him with a quiet, “you know what I mean.”

Hinata stopped talking. He turned to Tobio, and his blush got even deeper. “Um, well you see, the thing is—I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?” Tobio asked, his heart stopping.

“Well, because, well—look, I know they don’t feel the same way, so it’s fine, I’m fine with things staying the way they are.” Hinata replied, voice cracking a little.

“How do you know that they don’t feel the same? Have you asked?” Tobio pressed, the question leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

“I can just tell! They only see me as a friend.”

“You don’t know that,” Tobio refuted. Continuing, he added, “plus, you never told me why you can’t tell me who it is.”

“I can’t tell you because—ugh, we’re—this person and I—we’re going to different universities so it would be hard and I don’t want my heart to break and—you know, it hurts, okay? It hurts when I see them, it hurts when they’re away, it hurts when I imagine for a second that we could be together, only to have it taken from me, again. So, I can’t tell you, because if I did, then it makes it real. It makes the pain more real. It will break my heart, even more than it already has. So, just please let it go, okay?” Hinata finished, huffing his anger. His eyes seemed slightly shinier than normal, and Tobio suddenly felt bad for pushing the topic.

Tobio reached out, but Hinata pushed his arm away. Hinata turned away, trying to slow down his fast breathing. Their argument had gotten a few spectators, and Tobio blushed at the attention. He murmured some apologies for the scene they were causing.

Hinata turned back, wiping his face, and forcing a smile. “Uh, I saw some cute hair ties that Yacchan might like. I want to give her something for her to remember me by when we’re at university. I’m going to go back to see them, so you can browse, and we can meet back at the entrance in an hour, okay?”

Recognizing the dismissal for what it was, Tobio murmured his agreement, and they parted ways.

Tobio skimmed the merchandise half-heartedly, not really caring what he was looking at. He had messed up. He had hurt Hinata, and it was his fault, again. It seemed he was inept at handling delicate things like Hinata’s feelings. His heart ached, and he didn’t know what to do. How was he supposed to maintain his friendship with Hinata when they were apart if he kept messing up when they were together? The hours they could spend with each other were numbered, and he was ruining their relationship by pushing Hinata to tell something he wasn’t ready to tell. Tobio was upset that Hinata couldn’t trust him with a secret, but he was also felt awful for a different reason.

He didn’t know why, but the idea of Hinata being in love with someone irritated him. That person held Hinata’s heart, something that should be treasured, and instead, that person was playing with it. They were hurting Hinata. Plus, Tobio was sure this person was unworthy of Hinata’s love. Hinata deserved mutual love and support, not some dimwit that didn’t know how to reciprocate his feelings. Hinata was special, and the person he loved should know that and be cognizant of the gift they were receiving by being loved by such an amazing human.

Tobio, if he was honest, was a little jealous of the person that Hinata loved. If Hinata got together with them, then his affection and attention would be focused on them. He wouldn’t have as much time to spend with Tobio, and the thought angered Tobio. It was like how he felt when he imagined another setter tossing to Hinata. He didn’t like it. And, for some reason, he wasn’t sure why he cared so much.

Tobio moved from stall to stall, absentmindedly passing time. His thoughts were becoming more toxic as he walked. He thought of all the things he would miss about Hinata, the guilt he felt at wounding Hinata, and the growing hatred he felt for the other person harming Hinata. His thoughts were turning down this bad spiral when he saw it.

 _Something to remember me by_ , he thought.

Quickly, his attention turned from his sour thoughts to the objects in front of him. This was how he would make it up to Hinata. He looked at the stand, picked his favorite, and turned to the seller to haggle. The seller was an old woman, graying hair pinned in a bun, a kind smile upon her face.

“Um, excuse me, how much for the one of these?” Tobio held up his hand that was holding the item.

“Oh, is that a present for your lover?” She asked, kindly.

Tobio blushed. “For a friend,” he murmured, shyly.

“Now, I don’t believe that for a second. I saw how careful you were picking it out. If they weren’t your lover before, they will be once you give that to them,” she chuckled.

Tobio decided to refrain from contradicting the woman again, and set about bargaining for a good fee.

He ended up with a fair price for the gift, and his mood drastically changed. The purchase made him happy, and in his bliss at finding a way to make up with Hinata, he almost forgot to check the time. His wallowing had taken up most of the hour, so he started heading to the entrance. As he got closer, his heart began to race due to the weight of the bag in his hand. Hopefully, his present would earn him some forgiveness from Hinata.

As he reached the front, he saw Hinata standing by the side of the entrance to the market. He had a couple bags in his hand, and he was talking to someone animatedly on the phone. His body was turned in the direction away from Tobio, and Tobio was hit with inspiration. He would sneak up on Hinata, surprise him with the gift, and they could resume the day in good spirits.

As Tobio tiptoed forward, he began to hear fragments of Hinata’s one-sided conversation.

“Yes, Yacchan—I know—I tried, okay? But with him looking at me like that, I just couldn’t—he doesn’t understand. I don’t know if he ever will,” Hinata sighed, his expression forlorn. “It’s whatever. I just hate feeling trapped. If I tell him, it could make it worse, but if I don’t I will keep suffocating. Why does this have hurt so much? And on top of that, I thought love was supposed to be fun. All I’ve felt is pain. I guess I’ll be stuck feeling like this forever.”

Tobio stopped dead in his tracks. He didn’t understand the context of the conversation, but he did understand that Yachi and Hinata’s conversation involved him. His bad mood resurfaced, his heart dropping a little. Not only was he hurting Hinata by not understanding, this other person was hurting him by not loving him back. He grimaced at the thought that he and this person were both hurting Hinata. Tobio didn’t know who he hated more: himself or this mystery person.

“Yes, yes, I talked to my mom and I’m planning to meet the coaches soon. I don’t know if it will make it better or worse. Look, I have to go, Kageyama could be here any minute. Yeah, I’ll keep you updated. Okay. Love you. Bye.” Hinata said, closing his phone. He sighed and looked around. Tobio waited a few seconds before walking closer to Hinata, making his presence known.

“Hey, Hinata,” Tobio said.

“AH!” Hinata physically jumped. “You scared me!”

“Sorry.”

“Were you…” Hinata started, nervously. “Were you there the whole time?”

“No,” Tobio lied.

“Oh good, I just thought maybe you had heard—“ Hinata said, fiddling with his hands. “But if you did then—well if you said you didn’t, then you didn’t,” Hinata finished, shaking his head. He forced a bright smile on his face, adding, “so where do you want to go, next?”

“Well,” Tobio began, “I am kind of hungry.”

  
“Oh!” Hinata said, clinging to the change in subject. “Well, there is a good ramen place nearby, do you want to go?”

“Sure,” Tobio said, because he would eat anything. Plus, he wanted to keep the conversation light and airy as possible. He would do anything to get Hinata to smile one of his true smiles.

On their walk to the ramen place, Hinata asked, “so what did you buy at the market?”

Due to his eavesdropping on Hinata, Tobio had forgotten that he had been planning to surprise Hinata with the gift. Now wasn’t the time to present him with it, though. He wanted Hinata to be in a good mood when he gave it to him. So he murmured something about a present for his mom, asking instead what Hinata purchased.

“Ooh, I got some hair ties with little ribbons on them: two orange, and two black. Karasuno colors! Plus, the color of my hair,” Hinata added, laughing little. “Now she’ll think of us every time she wears them. Oh, and I also got a little game for Natsu so she won’t miss me too much when I move out.”

“At least she’ll see you on the weekends,” Tobio mentioned.

“Oh… Right. I guess I’ll see her then,” Hinata shifted uncomfortably. Did Tobio say something wrong? He thought Hinata was excited about taking care of Natsu during the next semester.

Deciding to ignore it, Tobio moved to the safe topic of volleyball, choosing to discuss their game from the previous day, and what they should improve on.  
  
“Yeah, I think my jump floater serve could use some work. I’m more confident in aiming with the jump serve, and it’s more powerful, but I think a jump float is a useful weapon,” Hinata said, weighing his options. “Although, I also need to improve my power for both, because they’re nothing compared to yours. Oh, hold on,” Hinata said, as his phone began to ring.

He answered with, “Hey Suga! Yeah, I am. With Kageyama. No, of course not,” Hinata added, blushing. “Yeah, we’re close. We’re heading to a ramen restaurant. No, I don’t want to interrupt your date. Are you sure? Well, alright,” proceeding to list the location of the restaurant. “We’ll order for you. Okay, see you soon.”

Hinata ended the call, turning to Tobio. “Sorry about that. Suga is out with Daichi right now, and he knew I was going to the market, so he wanted to see if I wanted to join them for lunch. I told them you had come along, and long story short, they’re joining us. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, sure,” Tobio said. He would do whatever he could to help improve Hinata’s mood. Although, he would have to figure out a way to get them alone so he could give his gift to Hinata.

They had arrived at the ramen place. It was a modern restaurant, with low-lighting and sophisticated furniture. The hostess guided them to a booth in the back, and Hinata slid in on the far side. Surprising Hinata, Tobio scooted in next to him. Hinata gave him a funny look.

“They’ll want to sit together, I imagine,” Tobio explained, blushing. Hinata nodded, but looked unconvinced. Tobio could feel the space between them, and he stopped himself from closing it.

Hinata removed his hat, and gave one of the menus to Tobio. They stopped their conversation to read over the menus. Tobio took his time reading it, debating what to get. When the waitress came to take their order, he decided to ask her what she recommended.

“Well,” she said, flipping her hair and leaning in close to show him the options. “The miso ramen is very good, but you look like more of a tonkotsu ramen kind of guy. A strong man like you needs his protein, huh?” She added, with a wink.

Tobio considered it and decided on the tonkotsu ramen. He really enjoyed pork broth, anyways.

“Good choice. I always pride myself on knowing just what my customers need. Especially good-looking ones like you,” she finished, with a giggle.

Hinata glared at the waitress, saying sickly sweet, “and what do you recommend for me? Since you seem to know exactly what we need.”

“Maybe you should try the tonkotsu ramen as well. The extra protein might help you grow a little more, huh?” she replied, grin stretched across her face.

Tobio snickered, and watched Hinata’s eyes grow steely. Hinata smiled, saying “Oh, trust me, I don’t need it. But, maybe you do. After all, you’re not fooling anyone, sweetie.” Hinata added, eyeing her up and down.

The waitress squeaked, covering her chest with her arms. Tobio was confused as to what Hinata had meant.

“That’s what I thought. Now, despite your lack of professionalism, I would like to order, please. I’ll have the shoyu ramen, my friend Daichi will have the miso ramen, and my friend Suga will have the shoyu ramen as well,” Hinata finished, handing back the menus with a shit-eating grin. Tobio watched the whole encounter with a blank stare. The waitress snatched the menus away, exiting with steam pouring out from her ears.

“What was that?” Tobio asked, genuinely confused as to what had happened.

“You always get tonkotsu ramen, Kageyama, I don’t know why you asked,” Hinata replied, rolling his eyes.

“You’re avoiding the question.”

“And you are a complete idiot. Did you not see how she was blatantly flirting with you?” Hinata huffed.

“She wasn’t flirting with me. She was just being nice!” Tobio cried.

“Yeah, and Coach Ukai’s hair is naturally blonde. Are you really that thick-headed? You know what,” Hinata sighed, putting his head in his hands, “I don’t know why I bother. You really are one of the least socially-conscious persons I have ever met, and I know a lot of people.”

Tobio blushed. He tried to come up with a response, but was at a loss.

“Ah, Kageyama, cat got your tongue?” Suga said, announcing the arrival of him and his boyfriend. They were standing by the table, holding hands. Daichi waved in greeting and they all murmured their hellos. Hinata’s head was still in his hands and his “hello” came out as a kind of groan. Suga slid down the booth’s opposite bench to sit on the inside, reaching over the table and messing with Hinata’s hair. Daichi followed, shaking his head at his boyfriend’s antics.

After he was satisfied with fooling with Hinata’s hair, Suga asked, “so, are you going to tell us what had Kageyama flustered and unable to speak? Or is that a secret?” Suga added, with a wink.

Hinata let out a loud, exasperated sigh. Daichi and Suga glanced at each other, and then turned their gazes to Tobio.

“I am, apparently, socially unaware,” Tobio offered, with a grimace.

“Oh? Is that supposed to be new information?” Suga inquired, one of his eyebrows raised.

Hinata slammed his hands on the table, raising his head sharply. His eyes were alight with fire. “This idiot,” he said, gesturing to Tobio, “didn’t realize the floozy waitress was flirting with him so I had to stand up for him. And then he had the nerve to side with her!”

“I wasn’t siding with her!” Tobio argued. “I only said that she was just being nice.”

Daichi and Suga looked at each other again, this time with knowing smirks. Suga reached forward and patted Hinata’s hands soothingly.

“There, there. You already knew that Tobio can be, uh, oblivious to the feelings and intentions of those around him. It’s something he needs to work on. Right, Tobio?” Suga finished, imploring Tobio with his eyes to affirm the statement.

“Uh, yeah, right. Am I really that bad?” Tobio asked.

All three of them stared at Tobio. A long moment stretched between them. Finally, Hinata said, squinting his eyes and shaking his head, “you have no idea.”

“Well, now that Daichi and I are here, we can help fend off the advances of the waitress,” Suga smiled, nudging Daichi with his arm.

“So, how was your day so far?” Daichi asked, changing the topic. Tobio was unsure of how to respond, but Hinata quickly recovered.

“It’s been… interesting. We both found some cool gifts at this local market. I got some presents for Yacchan and my sister. Tobio got something for his mom, too. Plus, it’s a nice day, so overall, a pretty good day, I guess,” Hinata said, avoiding talking about their spat at the market.

Suga looked like he didn’t quite believe the story, but he let it go. He continued on by talking about his day with Daichi.

“Well, we were planning on seeing a movie at the cinema later. Would you guys like to join?” Suga asked.

Tobio would love to spend more time with his friends, but he also wanted to be alone when he gave Hinata his gift. If they went to the cinema after lunch, they might all take the train together and Tobio would lose his window of opportunity. So he decided to lie.

“Well, I should really be getting back home after this late lunch. I want to practice outside before the sun sets,” Tobio said, trying to make the lie as smooth as possible.

“Can I join you?” asked Hinata. “I haven’t practiced outside in a while. It would be fun!”

“Yeah, sure. That would be great,” Tobio smiled, his lie turning into an actual plan. He would be able to practice with Hinata and give him his gift. The night would go smoothly.

“That sounds like a lot of fun! Maybe we should come?” Daichi exclaimed. Tobio’s grin faltered, sliding off his face.

“Oh, I thought you were going to the movie, though?” Tobio said, trying to salvage his scheme.

“Maybe we can come later, if it’s still light—oof,” Daichi tried, before Suga elbowed him in the stomach. He gave Daichi a look that Tobio didn’t understand, but Daichi apparently did. He laughed a bit and then said, “On second thought, you two have fun on your own. The movie will probably run late anyways. Maybe we will get ice cream afterwards, right, Suga?”

“Yes, honey. Hinata, maybe you’ll have time to tell Tobio about that thing we talked about,” he added, raising his eyebrows at Hinata. Hinata’s face began to color.

“What thing?” Tobio asked.

“Unimportant,” Hinata murmured. “I’ll tell you later.”

Hinata was saved from having to explain by the arrival of the waitress. She set down a few waters for them, and began to eye the new arrivals.

“Oh, I didn’t know your friends were also so gorgeous,” she said to Tobio. “Being able to serve such attractive men is certainly a pleasure,” she finished with a wink at Suga.

“Yes, well, my boyfriend and I are happy to be here,” Suga smiled, grabbing onto Daichi’s arm. “But, we would appreciate being left alone as much as possible to catch up with our friends.”

“Oh, of course,” the waitress said, flushing at the dismissal. She quickly exited, murmuring that they could always ask for her if they needed anything.

“Wow, you’re right Hinata,” said Suga, letting go of Daichi’s arm and watching the waitress leave. “She certainly is thirsty. Good thing I know how to stake my claim.”

“It’s not like I haven’t tried the same thing,” Hinata murmured.

“What did you say?” Tobio inquired.

“Nothing.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she left her number on the receipt,” Suga said, rolling his eyes and sipping his water.

The boys had finished with their conversation about their days, and began to talk about their plans for university.

“Next semester should be hard. But, luckily, I’m taking a photography class for my elective. Maybe I can convince Daichi to be the subject of my photographs. He is my muse, after all,” Suga laughed, touching Daichi gently on the nose.

Daichi grinned and leaned in to kiss Suga’s cheek. “As long as I get to spend more time with you, I’ll be happy.”

Tobio smiled at the couple, but felt a slight twinge of jealousy at the affectionate way they treated each other. He wasn’t jealous of them being together, but simply felt a wistful desire to share a connection that deep with someone he loved. A radiant face shining in the sun popped in his head, but he dismissed it. His thoughts seemed to be straying into dangerous territory more and more lately. He wasn’t sure if it was because of his proximity to a certain redhead, or if it was something more than that. Whatever the case, he needed to stop it. They were just friends, and plus, Hinata was in love with someone else.

Tobio was saved from his thoughts by the waitress arriving with their food. She handed out the ramen to everyone, finishing with Tobio.

“And, lastly, of course, the tonkotsu ramen for you. You’ll need the protein to keep building those strong muscles of yours,” she said, eyeing Tobio up and down.

“Yes, thanks,” Tobio murmured, smile on his face. The woman was just nice, nothing more.

“Do you play any sports, I’m sorry, what was your name?” she asked.

“Kageyama Tobio. And, yes, I play volleyball. I’m a setter,” Tobio said, blowing on his ramen to cool it down before sliding the spoon with the broth into his mouth.

“So Tobio-kun, your arms must be really strong, what with having to toss the ball so much. I’ve never felt a volleyball player’s arms. Would you mind?” she said, reaching towards Tobio.

“Okay, that’s enough,” Hinata said, leaning over to smack her hand away. Tobio was bewildered. “He’s not interested, thank you very much.”

“And how would you know that?” The waitress huffed. So she really was interested in Tobio? He was shocked.

“Kageyama’s not interested in shallow, rude women like you. Fortunately, he’s got better taste than that. Even if he is a bit oblivious at times,” Hinata finished, practically snarling.

“Oh, do you think you have some claim on him, you orange gremlin?” The waitress snapped back.

“As his best friend of more than three years, of course I have a claim on him. Much more than you do,” Hinata countered.

“Well, at least I have a chance with him. Three years of friendship, huh? Seems like you’ve been striking out for a while,” she smirked.

Hinata’s face colored in anger and he stood up, sputtering, “why you—“ but Suga waved him down.

“Now, now, Hinata, is that how we treat strangers? No matter how insufferable they are, we must me smart about how we battle,” Suga smiled sweetly, turning his head in the direction of the waitress. Tobio knew that look. He was surprised the waitress wasn’t running.

“Now, Ms. Waitress-san, I know you think you have a lot of power here because this is your restaurant. But, that’s where you’re wrong. See, I am a customer here, so the ball is in my court. I could easily go to your manager, raising all kinds of hell, demanding that he fire you for your disgusting harassment. Yes, I could yell, and scream, and complain, but I won’t.

Because I know what kind of girl you are. You’re the kind that goes out every weekend hoping to have a good time and ending it with a one-night stand. But, as soon as the deed is done, you’re left alone in your apartment, crying about how lonely you are. So you’re left to prey on your customers, which is, quite honestly, really pathetic. That you get any satisfaction from trying to hit on a man obviously too young for you really shows how worthless of a human being you are. And since I can be petty, yes, we can all tell they’re fake,” Suga said, eyeing her chest.

He continued with “so, what you’re going to do is leave us, get us a new waiter, and pay for our meal. Don’t worry, we won’t say anything to your boss. Why would we be so kind? Well, the real reason is that we don’t take pleasure in preying on pathetic creatures. So, you get lucky this time. But, if I ever find out that you’ve continued to incessantly hit on customers, I will be back. And next time, I won’t be kind. Okay?” Suga finished, with a wide smile on his face.

The waitress’ face was completely devoid of color, and she was gaping like a fish. She made a few sounds that sounded like she was choking, and hurried away, tail between her legs. Suga dusted his hands clean of the matter, proud of his work.

“Wow,” Tobio said, astonished. “I didn’t know you could be so mean, Suga.”

“I’m only mean when it’s necessary,” he replied, smirking. “Don’t you remember all those times I kicked Asahi out of his anxiety? Or when I made sure you problem children stopped being idiots?”

“Even though you did get carried away with them, sometimes,” Daichi said, smiling. He rubbed Suga’s head affectionately and they smiled at one another.

Hinata, who had been quiet for a while, murmured a “thanks, Suga.”

“Why are you down, Hinata?” Tobio asked, worried.

“Something she said, hit too close to home,” Hinata mumbled, his face coloring a bit.

Tobio thought back to what she said. “Oh, calling you an orange gremlin? Hinata, I’ve called you much worse,” he said, trying to cheer Hinata up.

Hinata looked up at him, pain in his eyes. ”You actually are the dumbest person I know.”

Tobio was dumbfounded. He started spouting nonsensical noises to try and come up with a response. “Yeah, well, Suga and Daichi don’t think so!”

“No, he’s right. You’re pretty dumb,” Suga said, calmly eating his food. “I mean, how can someone who is such a genius at volleyball, a person so aware of his surroundings on the court, be so socially unaware.”

“Daichi, you don’t think I’m dumb, right?” Tobio pleaded.

“Sorry, kid. There are so many things you miss out on that are pretty obvious to the general population,” Daichi said, also enjoying his ramen.

“Then, help me,” Tobio cried out, “what am I missing?”

“If we tell you, then you’ll never learn on your own. Maybe you should start by trying to guess how a person feels based on what they say, and their body language. That should help,” Suga said, trying to placate Tobio.

“Okay, well, if I try to learn, will you help guide me, Suga?” Tobio asked.

“Of course. Now eat your ramen before it gets cold. We’ve been here long enough and I want to get away from that creepy waitress.”

Tobio acquiesced and began to eat his food. A new waiter came by to check on them, and told them their meal had already been paid for. They exited the restaurant and walked in the direction of a nearby cinema. Suga had ordered the tickets on his phone so all he and Daichi had to do was pick them up.

Though the day had been strange, Tobio still had had a good time. Apparently, he also needed to work on his social awareness, along with his volleyball skills. He hoped that his obliviousness would fade with effort, just like training his muscles made him stronger.

When they arrived at the cinema, they began to say goodbye.

“Take care. I hope we can see you soon,” Suga said, hugging both Tobio and Hinata tightly. Then he turned his attention to Hinata, whispering a few words in his ear. Hinata smiled, and he looked like he had cheered up a bit. Then, Suga leaned towards Tobio.

“Let me know when you need help figuring things out, okay? Just keep thinking about the actions, words, and expressions of those around you, and I’m sure you’ll find your answer,” Suga said, smiling.

“Yes, but what do I need to figure out?” Tobio tried again.

“You’ll know soon enough,” Suga replied with a wink. “Text or call if you need help, okay?”

“Okay.”

They finished saying goodbye and parted ways. Tobio and Hinata walked in silence to the train station. When they finally boarded the train, Hinata finally began speaking to Tobio again.

“Well, that was interesting,” Hinata said, trying for a grin.

“It really was. Though, I can’t believe the waitress was hitting on me,” Tobio said.

“Are you kidding? Do you even know how good you look? Honestly, I’m surprised it doesn’t happen more often,” Hinata said, laughing.

Tobio blushed. “Really? You think I look nice?”

“Of course I do! I mean, you’re tall, which is pretty awesome. Not to mention that you’re ridiculously in shape, an added bonus of playing so much volleyball. On top of that, you have these clear blue eyes that seem to look through to a person’s soul. And your hair? It contrasts so nicely with your eyes, that it gives you a tall, dark, and handsome look,” Hinata exclaimed, gesticulating with his hands.

“Thank you,” Tobio said, blushing even deeper. “But, I like the way you look better.”

“Ehhh? What?” Hinata asked, bewildered. His cheeks began to redden as well.

“Well, uhm, your hair looks nice, even when it’s messy. It practically glows in the sun. And, your eyes, well, I think they’re very pretty. So, yeah,” Tobio finished, dumbly. Of course, there was more he liked about Hinata’s appearance, his freckles, for example, but he didn’t want to seem like a stalker.

Hinata didn’t seem to mind Tobio’s lacking response. His face was alight with glee, and hope, too.

“Anyways,” Tobio said, trying to hide his embarrassment, “I should probably take these home and get my volleyball gear from home. But, we’ll meet at the park’s A court, okay?”

“Yes, that sounds great,” Hinata smiled.

Of course, Tobio was going to move his gift from the bag into his volleyball bag. He would give Hinata his gift tonight, and their weird tension would be resolved. It would go well.

Tobio didn’t realize how wrong he was.

****

“Yes!”

Tobio and Hinata cheered, high-fiving each other with enthusiasm. Tobio was sweating pleasantly, and Hinata had just executed a perfect minus tempo back attack. They had been practicing for a few hours, and the sun was beginning to sink down in the sky.

“Should we stop? It’s getting late,” Tobio asked, catching his breath after the intense session.

“Yeah, probably,” Hinata said, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the bottom of his shirt. His glistening abdomen was visible, and Tobio’s heart lurched. Tobio didn’t know what was wrong with him. It’s had seen more in the locker room. It just felt… different now.

“Hey, do you want to watch the sunset?” Hinata suggested, eyes bright.

“Sure,” Tobio replied. This was the perfect time for him to give Hinata his gift. They went to their bags that they had placed on the side of the court. As Tobio took his pads off, he slid the tissue paper holding the present into his pocket. He began toweling off the sweat, taking a swig of water in the process. Hinata looked up at him from his place on the ground, smiling.

“What?” Tobio asked.

“Nothing. You just look most comfortable after practicing volleyball. It’s almost like it relaxes you,” Hinata said.

“Well, yeah. The intensity of it, focusing only on the ball, ignoring the world to focus on one moment, it all calms me down. Sometimes, matches stress me out. But, I never lose focus,” Tobio agreed.

“Hm,” Hinata thought, “you have gotten a lot better at communicating, too.”

“Well, that’s something I had to work on. And, apparently I also have to become more socially aware,” Tobio grumbled.

Hinata laughed. “Yeah, you are pretty oblivious.”

“Hmph. Well, stop dilly-dallying. Let’s go watch the sunset!”

They made their way to the other side of the park, where it ended in a grassy hill. They sat down together, close enough to touch, but far enough away that it was evident that they were “just friends”.

The view from the hill was spectacular. Miyagi stretched before them, the shops and houses intertwining along paved roads. Lights were glinting on down below, the area alive even as the daylight faded. In the distance, there were tall mountains stretching towards the sun. The golden orb was sinking towards the horizon, painting a beautiful masterpiece on the clouds. Pinks, blues, oranges, and reds cascaded across the sky, weaving amity with color. The scene was one that even the best of painters could not capture. It was simply a scene to be enjoyed with the eyes, as no photograph would do it justice.

The warmth from the sun heated Tobio’s body, and it felt good as his sweat had made him cool. He looked over at Hinata and was not disappointed with the expression on his face. Hinata’s eyes were raptly fixed on the horizon, he was leaning forward on his knees, and his mouth was agape. His being was enraptured by the beautiful scene, and he didn’t notice that Tobio had turned towards him. The sunset seemed to reflect Hinata’s beauty, as if one was calling out to the other. They seemed to yearn for each other, as if Hinata was meant to be on the sun. Really, Tobio didn’t know which one was more beautiful, though he did have a personal favorite.

“What is it?” Hinata said absentmindedly, slowly tearing his gaze from the horizon to look at Tobio.

“Nothing. Well, it’s just,” Tobio looked at the horizon again before finally saying, “the sun. It fits you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Um, well, you’re bright, like the sun. And if you look too long, you can get burned,” Tobio said, determinedly not sneaking a glance at Hinata.

“Huh. That’s really nice. I guess then you’d be the waves on the ocean,” Hinata said, giggling.

“Why?” Tobio said, warily.

“You’re cold, just like them!” Hinata laughed.

Tobio took off his shoe and threw it at Hinata. Hinata gasped, and dodged the attack. He sprung up and tackled Tobio, and they rolled over each other. Hinata dodged Tobio’s punches, aiming a kick in his side. Tobio let out a gasp of air, and growled resuming his attacks. They tossed and turned, dodging, attacking, and slowly dissolving into laughter.

They landed in a heap, with Hinata on top of Tobio, both trying and failing to catch their breath. Every time they calmed down, they took one look at each other and started laughing again. Finally, their breath slowed, and they realized the position they were in.

Hinata, sprawled on top of Tobio, quickly scrambled off him, forcing a laugh. Tobio huffed a laugh, too. They had rolled a little ways down the hill. The sun was now touching the horizon, about to say goodnight.

They sat down in companionable silence, watching the rest of the sunset in peace. Tobio tried to slow his heart, but it was still racing after their tussle. The proximity to Hinata only made it worse. Eventually, the sun disappeared, and the blues of night took over. Stars began to twinkle on, and lights glimmered in the valley of buildings. The air was cool, and the only thing that could be heard was the even sound of their breaths.

“You really are like the ocean, though,” Hinata said, voice barely above a whisper. Tobio turned his head towards him. “You’re quiet, sometimes, but you can also be loud. You’re strong, and cool, and there’s more to you than what’s on the surface. If I am the sun, then you are the ocean. You reflect the best parts of me.”

“Hm. But, I actually think the sun brings out the best in the ocean,” Tobio said, thoughtfully. “It’s the sun’s warmth that makes the ocean fun to swim in, and the light is what makes the ocean worth looking at.”

“When you say things like that, I can almost hope you feel the same,” Hinata murmured.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

Time passed and still they sat, as the night grew darker. They watched the evening come alive, slowly, as if not wanting to disturb the pair. More stars peaked out from their hiding places, watching the scene of two boys play out on the hill.

A moment passed, and then Hinata asked, “Kageyama-kun… is there anyone that you like?”

Tobio thought about it for a moment. “Well, my parents, you, Suga, Daichi, Tanaka, Noya, most of our old teammates, Yachi, Shimizu, Coach Ukai, Takeda, oh, and there’s this girl from my old class—”

“No,” Hinata interrupted. He sighed, took a deep breath, and turned towards Tobio. “I mean, is there anyone that you like-like. A person you want to spend your time all of your time with, and even when you do, you ache when you part. Someone you care for, who you would do anything for, that you—” his voice breaking on the last part, “someone that you love.”

“Oh. Oh,” Tobio said, blushing. He tried to ignore his racing heart and thoughts, “No, I don’t think so.” It felt bad to lie, but he did it to protect himself.

“Yeah. That’s what I thought,” Hinata said, quietly. “I have someone that I love.”

“Oh, yeah, you said,” was all Tobio could say. He already knew this, but it hurt to hear it said out loud again.

Hinata sniffed, standing up, turning his body away. “Hey, Kageyama? Uhm, I don’t know if I can do this anymore.”

“Do what?” Tobio said, stomach dropping, heart racing.

“This. Us.”

“What do you mean?” Tobio asked, fear creeping into his voice.

“I can’t be your friend anymore,” Hinata said, finally turning towards Tobio. His eyes were filled with tears, and they were beginning to fall down his face.

“What, why?” Tobio panicked. He had thought they were both on the same page about what their friendship had meant to one another. He stood up as if to get close to Hinata, but Hinata moved away.

“If I told you why, you’d call me stupid and to get over myself. But I have my reasons. I can’t tell you them,” Hinata wept, wiping his eyes.

“You have your reasons?” Tobio said softly.

“Yes,” Hinata cried, quietly.

“But you can’t tell me?” Tobio asked.

“No,” Hinata sobbed.

Tobio was suddenly overcome with anger. “so you can tell everyone else, but you can’t tell me?”

“What, what do you mean?” Hinata said, shocked at Tobio’s outburst.

“You tell everyone how you feel but you won’t tell me! I heard you talking to Yachi, and I know what Suga implied, so don’t think I’m so socially inept that I can’t listen to how you feel,” Tobio raged, face coloring.

“So… you heard… then you know…” Hinata said, face growing paler. “And, you’re mad at me?”

“Of course, I am! How else did you think I would feel? You tell other people but you won’t tell me, your best friend, how you feel. Do you know insignificant you’ve made me feel? You make me feel like I’m not worthy of your time, and that just because I struggle with feelings that you shouldn’t tell me. So yes, I am mad!” Tobio huffed.

“But… why would it… make you mad?” Hinata gasped.

“How else am I supposed to feel? You want to stop spending time with me just because you’re in love? And then, you don’t even want to tell me how you feel? Are we even best friends?” Tobio bellowed.

Hinata was quiet for a moment. He was looking down. Then, he said, his voice steely, “and what about my feelings?”

“What?” Tobio said.

“How do you think I feel?!” Hinata yelled, snapping his face up. “Did you think, for a second, about how I felt? How it feels to love someone and know they don’t feel the same? Does that matter at all to you? Or,” his voice huffed with ironic laughter, “did that never cross your “socially inept” mind?”

“Of course it crossed my mind! I’m not so dumb that I didn’t think about how you feel. But it doesn’t matter!” Tobio screamed.

“My _feelings_ don’t matter to you?” Hinata snarled.

“Well, yes, they do,” Tobio said, backtracking, “But what I’m saying is—”

“What I’m saying is that you are single-handedly the most selfish person I have ever met. All you care about is how you feel. Is my love really that unimportant to you? It’s not something I can discard or pretend doesn’t exist. It’s something that I’m reminded of every morning I wake up, every single minute of every single day until I fall asleep. I probably would still feel its pressure in my dreams. It’s a part of me, something that I can’t stop. I can’t just turn it off because you want me to. And if you think for a second that how you feel changes that, then you truly don’t know what love is at all,” Hinata finished, finally breaking down into tears.

“I know what love is, Hinata, I do—” Tobio tried.

“No! You really don’t, because if you did, you would know why I can’t be friends with you. And I feel sorry for you. I really do. Because even though it’s brought me so much pain, I’d do it all over for the chance to love again. But, I know my love will never be returned, and I can’t stand the ache any more. I can’t stand pretending it’s not there when every fiber of my being calls out to it,” Hinata cried.

“But, why does that mean you can’t be friends with me? I could be there for you, to help you get over it. I could be the one that—” Tobio pleaded.

Hinata continued, sobbing. “Did you ignore everything I said? You would only make it worse. Do you know how much this argument is hurting me already? To think, the person I called my best friend, has no care as to how I feel… It makes me feel like a complete idiot. I should never have trusted you.”

“You can trust me.”

“I obviously can’t. If I could trust you, then you wouldn’t be doing so much damage. You would have let me go a while ago.”

“Then go,” Tobio sighed, tired.

“Fine. I will. Don’t call me. I’ll be nice to you in public, but I won’t see you if I don’t have to,” Hinata said, beginning to walk up the hill.

“Hinata, wait… are you sure we can’t get past this?” Tobio tried, one last time.

“The fact that you have to ask that is why we can’t. You just don’t understand. Goodbye, Kageyama. I really do wish you could understand,” Hinata sniffed one last time, heading up the slope and disappearing into the undergrowth.

Tobio stood on the hill, staring at the place where his best friend had disappeared. He breathed in and out, trying to understand where he had gone wrong. In a matter of moments, he had lost his best friend. The person he cared about more than anything in the world wanted nothing to do with him. Apparently, the person he thought understood him the most was having trouble being understood. Tobio felt awful. He’d never forget the broken expression on Hinata’s face, an expression that he had caused.

Tobio sighed. He sat down on the hill, curling in on himself. He had fucked up big time. He had hurt the person he…loved the most. Yes, he loved Hinata. He had finally realized what all his thoughts had been leading him toward. He didn’t know when it had started, but he knew he was completely, totally, irrevocably in love. And, now he had pushed the person he loved away. On top of that, the person he was in love with didn’t love him back. They were being hurt by some unknown entity, and there was nothing Tobio could do to change that.

Tobio wished, more than anything, that it was him that Hinata loved. He could imagine it already. The times they would spend together, from volleyball to eating ice cream to watching movies to laughing out loud to the quiet moments meant for only them to enjoy. He yearned, he ached for what never could be. So, finally letting go, Tobio cried. He cried for what could have been but never would be. He cried for his friend, his partner, and his love. The tears flowed down his face in a torrential downpour, coating his face in river tracks. He couldn’t remember ever feeling such pain before. But he let himself feel it.

 _This_ , Tobio thought, _this will be the first and last time I cry over him_.

So he sat on the hill, feeling the emotions of a heartbroken soul. The night caressed his skin, trying to soothe his broken cries. He wept until his face couldn’t produce any more tears, and then his body began to heave with dry sobs. The cool air whispered its sympathy, as he tried to repair his heart with broken fragments. Eventually, his breathing slowed, and he had finally cried himself out. Tobio wiped the remaining tears from his eyes and inhaled a shaky sigh.  
When he placed his hands on his lap, Tobio felt a lump where his pocket was. He felt it, remembering that he had meant to give Hinata his gift today. Reaching inside his pocket, he pulled the present out of the wrapping and held it out.

It was a leather bracelet. The leather was brown, and it would have matched Hinata’s eyes well. An intricate pattern was formed by the woven leather, and hanging from the middle of the bracelet was a single silver charm.

It was a sun.

 _How fitting_ , Tobio thought. He bought it because it reminded him of Hinata. Now, instead, it reminded him of what he had lost. On this day, he had lost his sun.

****

Tobio’s next few weeks passed with monotony. Instead of enjoying it, he simply existed through them. He maintained his routine of exercise and training, even joining his university’s optional spring training. Pushing himself past his limits, Tobio was the first in to the gym, and the last to leave. Forgetting his pain was easier when he exercised, as if it didn’t exist. Any time he stopped to catch his breath or to get a drink of water, his loss reappeared. He kept turning towards a phantom to celebrate whenever he made a good toss or when his serve was particularly impressive. Volleyball seemed less bright without his favorite middle blocker around to cheer him on.

After the second week of his misery, one of the assistant coaches pulled him aside.

“Kageyama-kun, is everything alright?” Coach Ogawa asked. “You seem to be pushing yourself rather hard these past few weeks.”

“I’m fine. Just some personal issues,” Tobio murmured. He was embarrassed that they had to pull him aside. His emotions were getting the better of him, and now they were affecting his volleyball playing.

“Alright, well, don’t push yourself too hard,” Coach Ogawa said, letting Tobio go. “Be careful. If we see you exerting yourself too much, we will stop you.”

Tobio tried to slow down, but whenever he did, his thoughts strayed to a certain redhead he was trying to forget. So, instead, he pushed himself even harder. He was on his third week into training, practicing his serves late into the night, when Coach Ogawa finally stopped him.

“Kageyama-kun, we talked about this. You have to stop. Go home, rest, and you can train more tomorrow,” Coach Ogawa said, from across the gym.

“Okay, just one more,” Tobio said, picking up the balls he had already served. He wasn’t going to stop, though. Tobio didn’t want to be left alone with his thoughts. He would just train more at home.

“Fine,one more serve, but that’s it,” Coach Ogawa said, staying to watch and make sure Tobio kept his promise.

Tobio nodded, and took position. He tossed the ball, started the run up, and sprang into the air.

“Kageyama-kun, wait!” Coach Ogawa shouted.

Tobio turned his head towards his coach, ignoring the airborne ball. His attention went away from his landing, which was a mistake. It would have been an excellent landing, if not for the ball underneath his foot. He landed awkwardly on his right ankle, his weight shifting, and he toppled to the floor.

Tobio groaned in pain, clutching his ankle, as the coach hurried over.

“Sorry, Kageyama-kun! I tried to warn you, but I was too late. Are you okay?” Coach Ogawa asked, worriedly.

“S’fine. Just my ankle. My fault for not noticing the ball in my way,” Tobio grimaced.

“Let me help you up. You should get that ankle checked by the trainer,” Coach Ogawa said, carefully guiding Tobio from the ground.

Tobio tried putting weight on his ankle, but it hurt. But, _not too bad_ , he thought. He leaned on the coach’s shoulder on the way to the athletic trainer’s room.

After the initial check-up, the athletic trainer gave his verdict.

“It’s just a slight ankle sprain. Nothing too bad. Grade 1, I’m sure of it,” the athletic trainer said, as he finished wrapping Tobio’s ankle.

“Okay, thanks,” Tobio said.

“But, you’re going to have to be off it for at least a week. If not, two. So no training until then, okay? Come see me in a week. Keep off of it as much as possible, ice it, and keep it elevated. Make sure to have your ankle wrapped when using it. Got that?” The athletic trainer asked.

“Got it,” Tobio grumbled.

His way of forgetting had ended up hurting him physically. Now, he would be spending a lot of time alone with his thoughts. Tobio didn’t know how he would survive. It would certainly be miserable.

****

Tobio was right. It was awful. If he thought he was in pain before, it was certainly exacerbated by the fact that there was little to distract him now. His traitorous thoughts always seemed to drift to the one person he didn’t want to think about. It made him miserable, and he felt all the emotions caused by that terrible night. He felt guilty for what he had said, he felt anger at the situation, and he felt sadness because of the pain he had caused. Above all, he missed him.

He missed Hinata.

Tobio tried to stop thinking about his former best friend’s name as much as possible, but he couldn’t stop himself. Now that he knew he loved Hinata, it was like he couldn’t control the thoughts that revolved around him. He thought about Hinata’s crooked smile, the way his hair looked in the sun, the laughter they shared, and the way his eyes lit up when talking about volleyball. Honestly, Tobio missed the small moments they shared: the comfortable quiet when the conversation lulled, the peaceful walks home, the meat buns they ate, the races they ran, the jokes they made, the quicks they performed, and a million other things they had shared together. He missed it all, even their constant bickering. Tobio would do anything for the opportunity to share those moments again. But, he respected Hinata’s wishes, so other than the occasional text message asking if he was okay, he didn’t try to contact him.

Tobio wondered what Hinata would have done if he knew Tobio had hurt himself. He would probably be freaking out, wondering how quickly Tobio would recover. Hinata might even try to spoil him, changing his ice, cooing soothing words, and talking about all the tosses he expected when Tobio was better. Maybe, Tobio thought, after spending so much time together, Hinata would lean in closer than normal, his face inches away, and Tobio would bridge the gap, turning his head just so…

Tobio’s daydreaming was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. He got off the couch, making his way to the door. He could walk normally on his ankle now, even though it was still swollen. Tobio opened the door to see a sweet sunny face.

“Hello!” Suga grinned, holding up a brown paper bag. “I heard you got hurt so I brought you some food to cheer you up!”

Tobio thought for a second. “Who told you? I haven’t told any of our old teammates.”

“Unimportant. The important thing is that I have pork curry and I know how much you like it, but if you don’t want it…” Suga smiled.

“Come in,” Tobio grumbled.

Tobio opened the door for Suga to come in, and led him into the living room. They both sat at opposite ends of the couch, Suga placing the paper bag on the tabled and opening its contents.

“I’ll get utensils and plates. Do you want anything to drink?” Tobio asked, moving into the kitchen.

“Water is fine,” Suga called back.

Tobio got two glasses for water, as well as plates and utensils for the food. He went back into the living room, setting the things on the table, and sitting on the other end of the couch. Suga took a plate and started dishing out food, which he then handed to Tobio. Tobio gave a small “thanks” and started to eat. After getting his own food, Suga began to speak.

“So, you seem okay?” Suga said, lilting the end of the statement in a kind of question.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Tobio said, around his food. He swallowed, saying, “My ankle is okay, I just can’t practice right now, which kind of sucks.”

Suga nodded, thoughtfully. They continued to eat in companionable silence. Once he had finished, Suga set his plate down on the table, turning his attention to Tobio.

“I’m guessing that you’re only doing fine physically. What about, oh, I don’t know, mentally? Emotionally?” Suga inquired, raising his eyebrows.

Tobio set his plate on the table and sighed. “He told you, then.”

“Of course he told me! I always know how my kouhai are doing. Especially Hinata,” Suga said.

“So, is he okay?” Tobio asked, wanting to know but not at the same time.

“No, he’s not okay! He’s about as miserable as you look right now. I wish you would just make up and be happy again,” Suga huffed, slightly irritated.

“But, he doesn’t want to see me again. He said so himself,” Tobio said, forlornly.

“Idiot! People say things like that all the time when they’re hurt. Especially when the person they love says they don’t love them back,” Suga said, glaring at Tobio.

“So, he finally confessed to the person he likes?” Tobio asked, fear blooming in his chest.

“What do you mean? Of course he did!” Suga said, confused.

“Then, what did they say?” Tobio’s pressed, heart beating fast in his chest.

“Kageyama…” Suga said, slowly. “Who do you think Hinata likes?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t say,” Tobio replied. Hinata had never told him.

Suga eyed Tobio carefully. He took a few deep breaths, then, he said, “Kageyama, I want you to tell me your version of what happened, starting with right before the practice volleyball match.”

Tobio looked at Suga carefully, but did as he was asked. He talked about how he was upset that Hinata was going to a different university, how Hinata had cried when Tobio had elaborated on his feelings, and then what Hinata had told him about his crush. Tobio told him how he heard Hinata talking to Yachi about how Tobio didn’t understand, and his obliviousness to the waitress’ advances. He ended with what they had discussed on the hill, their argument, and finished with Hinata saying he didn’t want to see him again.

Suga’s eyes grew wide with the retelling, gasping at what he heard from Tobio’s side of the story. Finally, he put his hands on his face in shock, letting Tobio’s closing words hang in the air. After a bit, he lowered his hands, stood up, and walked the length of the room. Then, he spoke.

“Kageyama, I have to ask, though I kind of already know. But, I want to hear the words from your lips. What are you feelings towards Hinata?” Suga asked, imploring him with his eyes.

“Wha? What do you mean?” Tobio said, avoiding the question.

“Kageyama, this is important. I won’t tell Hinata. Now, what are your feelings towards Hinata?” Suga pressed, stopping his pacing and looking Tobio dead in the eye.

Tobio withered under his stare. He waited a beat, a blush growing on his face. “I…I… I love him.”

“As more than a friend?” Suga asked, voice raising in volume.

“Yes,” Tobio said, quietly.

Suga sighed, covering his face with his hands. “I mean, I knew… even before this, I had guessed… but, wow. How can two boys be that much of idiots?”

“What? Suga, what do you know?” Tobio pressed, suddenly curious.

“Kageyama. I want you to think. I want you to really think about what Hinata has said, did, and expressed when around you. All the looks, the words, the expressions he has made. Now, I want you to tell me why you think Hinata is upset with you?” Suga said, eyes pleading with Tobio to understand.

“Well,” Tobio thought. He remembered, reviewed, and analyzed. Then he said, “he’s upset with me because I don’t understand his feelings and I was insensitive.”

“Yes! Kageyama, yes!” Suga exclaimed, clapping his hands. “And what is it that you do you not understand?”

“Well, his feelings of love,” Tobio said, sadly. “He loves someone but he won’t tell me who.”

Suga groaned, walked over to Tobio, and smacked him on the head. “Idiot! Did you consider the possibility that, I don’t know, maybe the one Hinata loved, was you?”

“What?!” Tobio said, shocked. “What are you saying?

“I’m saying that Hinata is in love with you,” Suga said, simply.

“But, then, why didn’t he tell me?” Tobio said, mouth agape.

Suga sighed, looking like Tobio’s stupidity had aged him a few years. “He tried telling you. But, he thought you didn’t return his feelings. No one wants to confess to someone if they know they will be rejected. But, he decided being around without you knowing hurt him just as much. And, then he thought you knew and were being insensitive about it.”

“But! He didn’t tell me! How was I supposed to know?” Tobio exclaimed.

“Think back on your conversation. Why did Hinata’s sadness turn into anger?” Suga pressed.

“Well, he got mad when he heard I knew that he had told Yachi and you about his feelings—oh,” Tobio stopped, thinking hard. “He wondered why overhearing that would make me mad, but then…” Tobio’s eyes growing wide.

“Oh!” Tobio shouted, it all becoming clear.

“Yes! Finally!” Suga said, collapsing on the couch in exhaustion.

Tobio stood up and started pacing. He had missed so much. “Then, when he said all that, he was—he thought I was mad that he was in love with me?”

“Thank God you can finally think on your own,” Suga breathed, massaging his temples.

“So, the reason he wanted us to stop being friends was because I was unintentionally hurting his feelings by not reciprocating them?” Tobio said, heartbeat racing.

“Yes. You get it. Now, please let’s sort this out,” Suga said.

“Why doesn’t he think I love him? I mean, isn’t it obvious? By the way I look at him, or by the way I treat him or—” Tobio stopped at the harsh look on Suga’s face. “Then, I’ve been missing the signs that he loved me. Hm... Seems like we’re both idiots.”

“Yes, very much so. This is too much drama for your senpai’s heart,” Suga agreed, rubbing his chest in circles.

“Then, what do I do? He said he didn’t want to see me,” Tobio said, forlornly.

“Baka! Of course he wants to see you! He just thinks you’re an asshole, which you kind of are for being so unaware of his feelings,” Suga explained.

“Okay, then should I call him?” Tobio asked.

“Yes, now!” Suga said, as if he were explaining the simplest of things.

Tobio pulled his phone from his pocket. “Wait, but he hasn’t been answering any of my texts! What if he doesn’t answer my calls?” He asked, scared.

“Oh my gosh, just call him please. Put us both out of our misery,” Suga whined.

Tobio made a noise of agreement, and called Hinata’s number. The phone rang and rang. But no one answered.

“It went to voicemail,” Tobio said, worriedly.

“Maybe he’s busy. Try again,” Suga said.

Tobio called him again. And again. And again. After the fifth time, he gave up.

“He’s not answering,” Tobio complained.

“Hold on. Let me try,” Suga said, pulling his phone out. He dialed the phone and waited.

Someone picked up on the first ring. “Oh, hello Hinata.”

Tobio was shocked. So Hinata was avoiding him.

“Oh nothing much, just hanging around. Have you made up with Kageyama yet? Uh huh. I went to see him. He’s fine physically, but he still seems miserable. Maybe you could see him? Oh. Uh huh. No, I understand. No, I didn’t tell him. Hey, listen, so I’m having a party on Saturday, a little get together before the new term. You should come. No, he won’t be there. Uh huh. Yep. Okay, see you there,” Suga said, closing his phone. He turned to look at Tobio.

“Yeah, he’s most definitely avoiding you. He doesn’t want to see you. Luckily, your senpai has given you the opportunity to make things right. I have convinced Hinata to come to my party on Saturday, and you will be joining us. But, don’t tell him you’re coming. He thinks you won’t be there,” Suga told him.

“A party?” Tobio said warily.

“Oh it’s just a small get together, my antisocial friend. Nothing too big. So, figure out how to apologize to Hinata, you can tell him you love him, and be all lovey dovey, okay?” Suga said, getting up from the couch with a smile on his face.

“But, Suga, we’re still going to different schools. How will we make it work?” Tobio pleaded, looking for guidance.

“Oh, don’t worry about things like that. I know Hinata has the solution,” Suga winked.

“What do you mean?” Tobio asked, curiosity growing.

“You’ll have to wait and find out from him. In the meantime, think of something to really sweep Hinata off his feet. After all, you did cause him quite a bit of pain,” Suga said, walking to the door.

“Oh, right,” Tobio grimaced.

“Don’t worry. It will all work out. If I know anything it’s this: love, no matter how hard it seems at times, will prevail in the end. Trust in your heart, and it will lead you in the right direction,” Suga said, opening the door and exiting. “See you, Kageyama.”

“Thanks, Suga,” Tobio called out, holding the door.

“No problem, just thank me in your wedding speech, okay?” Suga smirked, winking.

Tobio blushed. “As long as you invite me to yours and Daichi’s.”

“We wouldn’t forget out problem children. I’m sure you’ll figure out the best way to express your feelings. As long as your feelings are true, nothing you say will be wrong,” Suga said, finally leaving. Tobio watched him go, thinking over what he had said.

Tobio knew how to make things right with Hinata. All he needed to do would be to track down that seller again. That was the easy part. Bearing his feelings to Hinata was a little harder. But he would do it. Anything to get his best friend back.

Anything to be with the person he loved the most.

****

The days passed slowly until it was finally Saturday. Tobio had made his many preparations, and it started with a trip to the market he and Hinata had visited all those weeks ago. He felt lighter, knowing that his plans would bring him and Hinata closer than ever. His nerves were constant, of course, but more than that, he felt excited. It was almost as if this would be the first day of the rest of his life.

He arrived at the market in good time, making his way to where he remembered the stall had been. The market was busy, but he could still see the first glimpses of the old woman and her stall. He walked up to her and eyed her bracelets again.

“Hello, dearie. Back again, are we? Did your lover enjoy the gift?” she asked, smiling brightly.

“Uh, I haven’t given it to him yet. We kind of had a fight,” Tobio said, looking at the merchandise.

“Ah, a lover’s spat. Whose fault was it?” She inquired.

“Well, mostly mine. He’s pretty upset with me,” Tobio murmured, embarrassed.

“Ah, he’ll get over it. When you’ve lived as long as I have, you’ll realize how senseless it is to argue over the simple things. You’ll want to spend every last precious moment together, because you’ll never know when they’ll be taken away from you,” she said, a wistful look in her eye.

“Huh. I’m sorry,” Tobio said, though he didn’t know for what he was apologizing.

“Bah, don’t listen to this old woman’s ramblings. Now, how can I help you, dearie?” she asked.

“I was wondering if you had another bracelet to match this one,” he said, holding the one with the sun charm on it. “But, maybe with a different charm? Like this?” He held up an image on his phone.

The old woman squinted at the picture. “Oh! Yes, I do! Will this work?” She asked, holding up one of the merchandise.

“Yes! That’s perfect! How much is it?” Tobio asked, reaching for his wallet.

“Ah, don’t worry about it,” the old woman said, waving him off. “Just make sure you treat this gentleman well, okay?”

“Are you sure?” Tobio pressed, not wanting to abuse her kindness.

“I certainly am. But, you better stay youthful and in love for as long as you can. Don’t screw up the apology, okay?” she said.

“Okay. Thanks!” Tobio said, taking the gift.

“Ah, to be young again,” the old woman said. Tobio smiled, and waved goodbye.

He turned to make his way back to the entrance. A small smile reached his face, as he thought about the old woman’s words. He would make the most of every moment with Hinata: the quiet ones, the loud ones, the funny ones, the sad ones, the angry ones, and, most of all, the happy ones. He secretly hoped that there were more happy ones than bad ones, but he knew he would have to work to make that happen, and that started with making it up to Hinata.

Tobio exited the market, took the train home, and started getting ready for the party. He showered, brushed his teeth, and combed his hair. He even put on a little cologne that his aunt had gotten for his last birthday.

After dressing, he messaged Suga to ask if Hinata had arrived. Suga sent him the confirmation, and so Tobio said goodbye to his mom, leaving for the party.

Tobio’s nerves increased the closer he got to Suga’s house. He began thinking that maybe Hinata wouldn’t forgive him, or that he perhaps had figured he was better off without him. His thoughts turned darker, but he tried to shake them free. Hopefully, Tobio would be able to make amends tonight.

Arriving at Suga’s house, Tobio stepped up the stairs to knock on the door. He nervously patted his pocket where the bracelets were, making sure they stayed safe. Tobio waited for a while, hoping that someone had heard his knock. As he began debating whether or not to knock again, someone opened the door.

“Ah, hello Kageyama! Glad you could make it!” Suga said, smiling up at him. He grabbed Tobio’s hand and led him into the house.

“Mostly everyone is hanging out back. There’s food and drinks in the kitchen, so help yourself. Oh, and we’ll be shooting fireworks off at night, so that’s something to look forward to!” Suga said. “But, I imagine you came here to make up with Hinata, so good luck! He’s outside somewhere with the others.”

Tobio nodded, and followed Suga to the back porch.

“Hey guys! Look who’s here!” Suga said, as they arrived at the party.

“Small gathering” was an understatement. This was a true party. Not that Tobio had ever been to many. There were people sitting by the table, standing by the edge of the deck, and hanging out in the backyard. There was a lot of seating, but still there was an overflow of people who were standing. The crowd of people called out their greetings as he made his way through the sea of bodies. Tobio said hello as well, trying to look around for Hinata as he went.

“Hey Kageyama! I thought you weren’t coming?” said Noya. He was sitting next to Tanaka and Ennoshita.

“Er, yeah. Change of plans,” Tobio said, trying to avoid getting stuck in a conversation and being stopped from his goal of finding Hinata.

“Cool! Well, it’s good to see you! I heard you hurt your ankle, though,” Noya said, nodding his head solemnly.

“How did you know about that?” Tobio questioned. In fact, he wasn’t sure how it became common knowledge. The only person he had told was his mom, though Suga had somehow found out.

“Oh, well we heard from—“ Noya tried, but Tanaka smacked his head. He whispered in Noya’s ear. Noya nodded his head in understanding. “Uh, er, never mind. Well, you look like you were searching for something, what was it? Maybe we can help?”

Tobio noticed the subject change but chose to ignore it. “I’m actually looking for Hinata. Do you know where he is?”

“We saw him in the backyard trying to start a game of volleyball. Maybe check there?” Ennoshita said, kindly.

“Yeah, but it looked like he was avoiding someone—oof” Tanaka cut off, as Noya had elbowed him. This time Noya whispered in Tanaka’s ear. Tobio’s face began to burn. “Oh, did I say he was avoiding someone? Psh, he probably was just really pumped to play volleyball, so yeah go look for him!” Tanka finished, awkwardly laughing.

Tobio nodded, and said goodbye. So other people knew about Hinata’s avoidance of Tobio. He didn’t know how much they knew about the situation, but they at least knew they were fighting. Tobio sighed, and continued his search by stepping down the porch steps into the backyard.

The yard was large and vast, with soft green grass underneath. Suga’s yard led to a small wooded area, but there was still enough room to play around and enjoy the lawn. Past the woods, according to Suga, there was a lake where they would be setting off fireworks. Quickly, Tobio spotted the people playing a volleyball game. He walked over to them and watched.

The rally was intense. Both teams were quite competent and meshing well. After a few volleys, a gorgeous setter with black hair set to a spiker with hair like a horned-owl, which he quickly smacked down in a perfect straight. The other team groaned.

“Hey, hey hey!” Bokuto, the spiker, shouted, running to the setter with a smile wide on his face. “Hey, Akaashi, did you see that epic straight?”

“Yes, Bokuto-san, I did set it to you, after all,” Akaashi said, calmly. Tobio continued to watch with a grin on his face. He had missed the antics of the Tokyo training camps.

“Hey, Kageyama,” Bokuto said, noticing Tobio’s arrival. “Did you see my nice spike?”

“Yes, I did. It was awesome. Your straights have seemed to have gotten even cleaner. I would love to see your cross sometime to compare. Your form is impeccable, so I wonder how blockers would do reading them. And, that rally was intense too, so your strength overall must have gotten better as well. Oh, and—“ Tobio rambled.

“Is there something you wanted, or were you going to watch?” Akaashi said, cooly. “We can add you to the lineup, if you want to play.”

“Oh, no, I can’t play. Sprained ankle.” Tobio blushed. He had almost forgotten why he had come over to them. “I was actually wondering if any of you have seen Hinata.”

“He was just here. In fact, he was supposed to be playing with us. Where did he run off to?” Bokuto said, looking around as if Hinata would appear out of thin air.

“He told me he was going to get a drink inside. Something about being too hot. But, he ran around the house to the front, so he could’ve been lying,” Akaashi said. “Is there something going on between you two?”

“It’s nothing. But, thanks, I’ll continue looking for him,” Tobio said, waving to them and retreating to walk around the house.

Tobio checked the front yard, but there was no one there. He finally entered through the front door, deciding to look in the kitchen.

The kitchen was empty except for a few individuals. Tobio walked over to the counter, grabbing a water bottle. He waved his hand in greeting.

“Hello Yachi. Hello Kiyoko-san,” Tobio said.

The short blonde jumped at the acknowledgement, while the brunette dipped her head in greeting.

“Ah, Kageyama, you scared me! Your footsteps are so quiet, like a mouse,” Yachi said, rubbing her chest to calm her heart.

“Sorry. Do you happen to know where Hinata is?” Tobio asked.

“He was here a minute ago, but he scurried onto the porch again when he heard the front door open,” Yachi said, wincing. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I know he’s avoiding me. I just wish he knew I was trying to apologize to him,” Tobio said.

“I think he knows that,” said Kiyoko, quietly. “But, that doesn’t matter. It would hurt him more to be around you, I think. He’s trying to forget his love for you, and avoiding you is the best way to do that.”

“So you know, too?” Tobio sighed. It seemed everyone was starting to know or guess about his fight with Hinata.

“Well, Hitoka-chan told me,” Kiyoko said. Yachi murmured a small “sorry”. “The rest I had guessed.”

“Yeah, well, I just wish he would be willing to hear me out. I have something important to tell him,” Tobio said, anxiously. It would be nearly impossible to make things better if Hinata continued to avoid him.

“If Hinata doesn’t want to be found, then he won’t be. But, I think you’ll hear from him very soon. If you wait long enough, he’ll come around. Stay, enjoy the party. Maybe if you stay in one spot, he’ll find you,” Yachi said, a warm smile on her face.

“Yeah, okay, thanks,” Tobio responded, deciding to take the advice. He said goodbye to the girls and made his way onto the porch. He spotted Suga, Daichi, and Asahi at the table, and he made his way over to them. He pulled up a chair and listened to the conversation.

“Oh, remember when you use to date Yui?” Suga said, laughing.

Daichi rolled his eyes. “How could I ever forget when you keep reminding me?”

“I liked Yui. She was nice. She told me she liked my hair,” Asahi, the tentative ace, said, touching his hair.

“Everyone likes your hair, Asahi. Now, Yui, she was definitely awesome. Oh, but I was so jealous. She kept taking your time away from me, and I became so rude towards her. Finally, she got so fed up with it, she sat me down and forced me to acknowledge my feelings for you,” Suga laughed.

“Yes, I remember. I cared about Yui, I probably could have loved her, but she knew I was in love with you. So she broke up with me, telling me to man up and ask you out,” Daichi grinned, rubbing his hand on Suga’s leg.

“And we haven’t looked back since, have we?” Suga smiled, caressing Daichi’s face. It was so sweet it almost felt like Tobio was peeking on a private moment.

“Ah, those were the times,” Asahi said. “We had a good third year, huh?”

“We sure did, especially with our trip to nationals,” Daichi said, reminiscing. “That was quite the ride.”

“Too bad we lost. At least we witnessed Karasuno bring home the win a few years later,” Suga said, nudging Tobio. “That last set was phenomenal, especially the final toss.”

“Yeah, well, I couldn’t have done it without my teammates, especially Hinata,” Tobio said, a soft smile on his face.

“Aw, look at him Daichi. Our kid is in love!” Suga exclaimed.

“What?” Asahi said. “Kageyama’s in love?”

“Yes, with a certain short redhead,” Suga nodded, smiling.

“Oh. Well, I guess that makes sense. I’m surprised I didn’t see it sooner,” Asahi said.

“Trust me, it’s new to me, too,” Tobio sighed. He figured it didn’t matter if more people knew, since he would be telling Hinata soon. He hoped everyone kept quiet until then.

The daylight slowly faded, but the party only picked up in livelihood. Voices were tinkling with laughter, shouting their glee, or were raised in celebration. Music played softly in the background, setting the scene for a peaceful night. Conversations overlapped and people were smiling with bright expressions, good spirits to be had by all. The evening air was cool, but warm enough to be comfortable in shorts. It was as if everything had come together to orchestrate the scene for a fun night. But, some people had other ideas to increase the fun tenfold.

“Hey everyone!” Noya shouted, to be heard over the noise. “Let’s play some party games!”

“Ooh, that sounds like fun! Would you like to play, Shimizu-chan?” Yachi said, having moved from the kitchen to the porch.

“Depends on the game,” Kiyoko said.

“Hm, how about “Truth or Dare”?” Tanaka suggested, wiggling his eyebrows.

“No. That can get out of hand really fast. And I don’t want to have to drive anyone to the emergency room because someone “dared them to jump off the porch”,” Daichi said, glaring at Tanaka.

“Oh, come on, it was one time! Plus, I didn’t break anything!” Tanaka argued.

“You sure were complaining like you did,” Suga teased.

“Oh, can’t you let it go?” Tanaka pleaded.

“Fine, fine. But, we’re still not playing that game. I don’t want you daredevils destroying my parent’s house. But,” Suga smirked, an evil grin on his face, “we can play a game of “Never Have I Ever”.”

The crowd cooed their agreement, smirking at each other and nudging their neighbors suggestively. Tobio had never played the game before, but the responses of the group made him uneasy. Maybe he would sit this one out.

The people playing began to shift their chairs and gather in a circle. Others who were only watching stood behind them or moved their seat out of the way, and Tobio followed their lead, putting his chair on the outside of the circle.

“You’re not playing, Kageyama?” Suga asked, politely.

“I’ll watch for now,” Tobio said, warily. He didn’t want to partake in a game he knew little about.

“Can I play?” a voice called out, moving into the glow of the porch light. Tobio’s heart stopped. He would know that voice anywhere.

Hinata stood at the edge of the group, staring determinedly away from Tobio’s direction.

“Shouyou, of course! We were just about to start,” Noya said, waving him over. “Come sit by me.”

“Maybe I will play,” Tobio murmured, moving to sit next to Suga. Suga smirked but didn’t comment about Tobio’s change of heart.

“Oh, Akaashi, they’re playing a game. Let’s join them!” Bokuto exclaimed, walking up the porch steps to the group.

“Yes, Bokuto-san. Not so loud, please,” Akaashi said, sitting on Tobio’s left.

Including himself, there were twelve people playing the game. Tobio was directly across from Hinata, but Hinata was busying himself by talking to Kiyoko, Yachi, and Noya. Tobio’s heart beat fast at seeing Hinata again, but he tried to ignore it, instead listening to the explanation of the rules.

“Everyone starts out with ten fingers. Then, a person says something they haven’t done, for example, “Never have I ever eaten pineapple”. If it’s something you have done, then you put a finger down. If not, you leave your fingers up. The loser is the first one who puts down all their fingers first. Usually, that person has to drink some disgusting concoction of alcohol, but since we are good people who have never had a sip of the devil’s drink, we can come up with some other punishment,” Suga explained.

“How about they have to chug a soda?” Asahi said. “I always hate when the bubbles come up my throat.”

“Too weak. We need something equal parts embarrassing and funny, but not anything to harsh,” Suga proclaimed, thinking hard.

“Oh! I know! The loser can get a volleyball spiked directly into the face! I’ll even volunteer to spike it!” Bokuto insisted, bouncing up and down.

“Yikes. That sounds painful. Again, we don’t want anyone getting hurt,” Daichi refuted, shaking his head.

“Ooh, ooh! How about the loser gets a kiss from the person who loses next?” Tanaka said, glancing furtively at Shimizu.

“If that’s the case, then I’m not playing,” Shimizu said, shaking her head.

“What about a kiss on the cheek? That seems innocent enough,” Ennoshita suggested.

“Oh! I like that idea better! What’s a little platonic kiss? Plus, we can massively embarrass whoever the two unlucky bastards are,” Suga grinned, with a wink.

“Alright, is everyone okay with that?” Daichi asked. The group murmured their agreement, but a few people’s faces turned red, especially Tobio. He had never kissed, even platonically, other than his family members. Nerves began to make his heart race. He would have to make sure to not be one of the losers.

“Then, both losers have to kiss each other on the cheek. Sound fair?” Suga inquired. No one voiced their disagreement. “Alright, then, who wants to start?

“I will,” Hinata said, speaking for the first time since his entrance. “Never have I ever had black hair.”

A majority of the group groaned at the low blow. “That’s cold, Shouyou. Cold,” Noya said, putting a finger down.

“That’s the name of the game,” Hinata smirked.

“I’ll get you back for this. Just you wait,” Noya declared, humor in his eyes.

Kiyoko’s turn was next. “Never have I ever been a boy.”

“Wow, we really are going there, aren’t we Shimizu-san,” Daichi grumbled, putting a finger down. The others groaned in agreement. The majority of them were male, after all.

“Um. Never have I ever played a volleyball game,” said Yachi.

“Yacchan! Low blow! That’s everyone but you and Shimizu-san,” Suga sighed, dramatically groaning.

“You didn’t say we couldn’t do easy ones,” Yachi said, grinning widely.

“My turn…hm.. what should I do?” Asahi thought aloud.

“You’re supposed to use the time before your turn to think of a statement, Asahi,” Suga sighed, shaking his head.

“Hm. Oh, okay. I’ve got it. Never have I ever been a volleyball manager,” Asahi said, smirking at the two girls.

“Ooh, nice one Asahi! That’s how we’ll get them back!” Noya cheered.

Daichi was quiet for a little bit, thinking about what to say.

“Oh come on! Not you, too!” Suga exclaimed, half-jokingly. “I would like to continue playing the game, Daichi.”

“Ooh, this is a good one. Never have I ever played setter,” Daichi said, grinning at his boyfriend.

Suga gasped in fake astonishment. “I can’t believe you’ve targeted me. I will never forgive you!”

“Yes, you will,” Daichi said, tucking Suga’s hair behind his ear.

“You’re right. I will. After this! Never have I ever been hit in the head during a game, practice or otherwise.”

“Ooh, that hurts, Suga. Though, technically, it was Tanaka who hit me, not a ball,” Daichi said, putting a finger down.

“I said I was sorry!” Tanaka called.

“It’s fine! I was only joking,” Daichi said, grinning good-naturedly. “Alright, that means, Kageyama’s next.” Daichi turned his attention to Tobio. “Woah, Kageyama, you’re losing pretty badly.”

It was true, Tobio thought. He had already gone through one hand, and was on his last five fingers. His nerves had kicked into high gear. If he didn’t do something soon, then he would be forced to kiss someone.

“Never have I ever been kissed romantically,” Tobio murmured. He figured this would get a lot of people out.

In fact, his statement got nearly everyone to put a finger down.

“Aw, I’ll kiss you Kageyama!” Suga said, leaning towards him.

“No you won’t,” Daichi refused, pulling his boyfriend back.

“Woah, Shouyou, I didn’t know you kissed someone!” Noya said, looking interested. Tobio whipped his face around. Had Hinata put his finger down?

“It was only once,” Hinata mumbled, face glowing red.

“Ooh, who was it?” Tanaka pressed.

“Me,” Yachi whispered, face bright as well. Tobio’s heart stopped.

“OHO? My boy! I thought you guys agreed to be just friends!” Noya said, rubbing Hinata’s hair to congratulate him.

“It was before that,” Hinata said, meekly. “Can we continue, please?”

The words stung Tobio, and his heartbeat was racing, but not in happiness. Tobio, if he was honest, had wanted Hinata’s first kiss to be with him. Now, though, his plans to share all of their first romantic experiences together had blown up in his face.

No, he was being stupid, shaking his head to physically stop these thoughts. Their encounter had happened long before Tobio had even realized his feelings for Hinata, so he had no right to be upset. Hinata’s previous experiences with or feelings for other people didn’t matter, as long as he loved Tobio now. Of course, if Hinata wanted to share his past with Tobio, he would listen. Besides, maybe the kiss had convinced Hinata that he wasn’t meant to be with Yachi. This line of thinking comforted Tobio, but it also made him slightly nervous. Hopefully, Hinata’s feelings for him would only be cemented by a kiss, not turned off like the ones he had felt for Yachi.

At least, with his statement, he was tied for last place with Akaashi and Daichi. He wondered how long that would last, as it was Akaashi’s turn.

“Never have I ever played for Karasuno,” Akaashi said, calmly. Well, there went another finger for Tobio. Every statement seemed to be targeting him.

“My turn! Hm, never have I ever been considered short for my age or position,” said Bokuto, brightly.

Finally, Tobio didn’t have to put a finger down. He had always been tall, especially as he grew older. But, he noticed that someone who should have put a finger down did not.

“Um, Noya, aren’t you going to put a finger down?” Tobio asked, curiously.

“What do you mean? Are you calling me short?” Noya exclaimed, ready for a fight. “I am perfectly average, okay?”

“Put a finger down, Noya. You’re embarrassing yourself. Even Hinata put his finger down!” Suga laughed. Noya grumbled as he too put a finger down.

It was Ennoshita’s turn. “Never have I ever played beach volleyball.”

Only Tobio and a few others put their fingers down. “We played once in a tournament, for fun,” Tobio said. “Executing moves on the sand was harder, but it gave us a good workout.”

“Yeah, it was fun! We met some pretty cool people,” Tanaka reminisced. “And some really pretty girls.” He was so lost in thought that he almost forgot it was his turn. “Oh, right. Hm. Never have I ever been a girl!”

Yachi and Kiyoko glared at him. “Hey, you started it!” Tanaka grinned.

“My turn! Never have I ever played a position other than libero,” Noya smiled. “Take that, Hinata!”

Hinata showed his displeasure by sticking his tongue out at Noya, but he put his finger down anyways.

“Oh, looks like we’ve made it a full round. How is everyone doing?” Suga said, glancing around the circle. “Wow, Hinata and Kageyama are losing pretty badly right now!”

Tobio checked to make sure. He looked at Hinata’s hands, and then glanced up, his eyes meeting Hinata’s. They both quickly looked away, blush blooming on their cheeks. Yes, he and Hinata each only had two fingers left, though, as Tobio surveyed some more, there were some others close behind, such as Daichi.

 _The losers will have to kiss each other on the cheek_ , Tobio thought. He was only two fingers away from having to kiss Hinata. His heart thumped traitorously, and he couldn’t contain his grin. This was the chance for which he had been waiting. He would kiss Hinata, taking him aside to apologize, thus repairing their relationship. Now, Tobio’s mission to not be taken out had reversed. He looked forward to the next turn.

“Okay, now, let’s make things harder,” Suga said, interrupting Tobio’s plotting. “No more easy targets. You have to say something outside of physical appearance, volleyball, and things that target specific people. I want some real creative thoughts, people!”

This was an axe thrown in Tobio’s perfect plan. So far, he had been getting out on these simple statements. He hoped that the next statements would quickly get Hinata and him out.

Unfortunately, it was Hinata’s turn next. “Never have I ever eaten gelato.”

Tobio, a huge lover of anything dairy, had sadly never had gelato. He would try it someday, though. Maybe he would buy some to share with Hinata.

Kiyoko looked around the circle, taking a deep breath before saying, “I guess it’s time for me to go.” Then, with a cool expression that only a girl as pretty as she could make, she proclaimed, “never have I ever had a sex dream about a friend.”  
  
Yachi, who had been drinking water, spat it all over herself.“Shimizu-chan!” She began coughing, and Kiyoko patted her back.

“What? Suga said to be creative,” she said, smoothing Yachi’s back and trying to stifle her smile.

Kiyoko’s statement garnered quite a few sputters and embarrassed noises. Noya and Tanaka had squawked uncomfortably before hiding their faces in their hands. Bokuto laughed a little too loudly, trying to hide the fact that he had put one of his fingers down. A few others simply avoided looking up, trying to sneak looks at the others to determine whether they had put fingers down, their faces becoming a deep red. Tobio’s own face reddened, but he quietly put a finger down. His dreams had gotten a lot more graphic in recent weeks.

“Does it count if they’re your boyfriend? I mean, he was my friend first,” Suga asked, thoughtfully.

“I think it depends. Was it before or after you started dating?” Kiyoko questioned.

“Well, I mean, the first one wasn’t that bad, just kissing, but that was before we started dating. However, the one after that—”

“Okay, let’s try to keep this PG, Suga. No one wants to hear all the details about your lewd dreams,” Daichi said, sighing. Then, after a breath, he said “put a finger down to be safe.”

“Alright, captain!” Suga smiled, winking.

With this round, Tobio was so close to losing he could almost taste it. His plan was working out well, as Hinata only had two fingers left.

It was Yachi’s turn. “Hm. Never have I ever seen any of the Star Wars movies.”

“What? Really? Never?!” Bokuto asked, in disbelief. Yachi shook her head. Tobio didn’t know why this was such a big deal. He hadn’t seen them either. But, the others were proclaiming how uncultured she was for not seeing them. Hinata, however, was noticeably quiet. His fingers remained at two. _Maybe_ , Tobio thought, _we could watch them together_.

“Asahi, it’s your turn!” Noya said.

Asahi sat in thought for a moment. Then, he said, “never have I ever attended university.”

“Does it count if you’re about to go to university?” Tobio asked, hopeful.

“Nope. You still haven’t gone yet,” Daichi said. “Then, it’s me next. Never have I ever been to a play.”

Tobio was getting desperate. He was so close, yet so far away. It seemed like now since his motives had changed, he wasn’t getting what he wanted.

“Oh, well, neither have I! Future date idea!” Suga smiled. “Yay, it’s my turn! Let’s see… oh, I know! Never have I ever been in love!”

“Wow, Suga, I see how you feel,” Daichi sobbed facetiously.

“Ah, I’m just kidding Daichi. You know I love you! I just wanted to tell everyone how deeply in mushy, gushy love I am,” Suga said, giving Daichi a kiss, and putting a finger down.

Finally, Tobio was out. It was funny how his love for Hinata was taking him one step closer to repairing their relationship.

“Boo, you love birds! That’s not how the game is supposed to be played,” Tanaka grumbled.

“You’re just jealous,” Suga smirked, eyes glittering.

“Hmph, whose turn is it now?” Tanaka said, looking around.

It was Tobio’s turn. He glanced at Hinata’s hands, smiling. One finger left. He had the perfect way to get Hinata out. “Never have I ever—”

“Wait! Kageyama! Are you out?” Tanaka shouted.

“Uh, yeah?” Tobio said, confused.

“When did you get out? You should have told us!” Noya said, as if lecturing a bad student.

“Sorry,” Tobio apologized, avoiding the question. “Anyways, never have I ever—”

“You can’t take a turn if you’re out!” Suga declared.

“I can’t?” Tobio said, trying to remember if they said that when explaining the rules.

“Yeah! If you’re out, you’re out. You’re the loser,” Bokuto chuckled. “Now we just have to see who will be kissing the cold Kageyama! Akaashi, it’s your turn.”

Tobio hoped and prayed to whatever being existed in the universe that Akaashi’s statement got Hinata out. His perfect plan had met a pothole in the road, but hopefully Akaashi would fix it. Akaashi opened his mouth, and Tobio waited with bated breath. “Never have I ever broken my phone.”

Tobio whipped his head around to stare at Hinata’s hands. He looked and looked, begging and wishing, but Hinata didn’t put his remaining finger down.

“Oh, you’re no fun!” Suga cried. “It’s not my fault I’m a klutz.”

“Maybe you should be more careful with your belongings, Suga,” Daichi grinned, rubbing his boyfriend’s head consolingly.

“Hey, does that mean you’re out, Suga?” Tanaka asked. Tobio whirled his head around to check.

It was true. Suga was out. Which meant…

“Kageyama! My son! Come over here and give me a kiss!” Suga giggled.

Everyone was hooting and hollering, making whistling noises to tease them. Tobio blushed pathetically. He hadn’t realized how close to being out Suga had been, too distracted by his plans about getting Hinata to lose. Now, he was going to have his kiss stolen by Suga.

“Aw, don’t look so sad, Kageyama! I won’t be taking your kissing virginity. This is 100%, completely and totally platonic, I swear it. And it’s only on the cheek,” Suga reassured him, walking towards Tobio. “Plus,” Suga whispered as he got closer, “I think a certain someone watching will get jealous and want to make you forget about our kiss, in a lot of, uh, expressive ways,” finishing with a wink.

Tobio’s blush deepened, and he glanced in Hinata’s direction. For a second, blue eyes met brown ones, but the moment passed quickly. As Tobio looked back to Suga, he smiled a tiny bit. Though Hinata had tried to hide them, Tobio had seen the daggers in his stare. Maybe he really was jealous.

“Hurry up! We haven’t got all day!” Noya voiced. Other people began shouting their encouragement, yelling, with increasing fervor, “kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

“Alright, you thirsty bastards, stop it. Ready, Kageyama?” Suga asked, glancing up as Tobio nodded. “Okay, I’ll go first.”

Suga leaned forward sweetly, gently pulling Tobio’s face down. Tobio noticed absentmindedly that Suga was as pretty up close as he was from far away. Suga gave him a soft, small kiss on Tobio’s cheek. Tobio began to pull away, but Suga held firm. Suga gave him another kiss, and another, before throwing caution to the wind. He kissed Tobio in rapid succession, all across his face, increasing with intensity. Tobio’s face turned a dangerous red, but he stayed where he was, silently praying for it to end quickly. Suga finally ended the attack with a big, sloppy kiss on Tobio’s forehead.

“Gross! Get a room!” Tanaka yelled, cackling. The crowd of people had expanded, and they were all breathless with peals of laughter.

“They will not be getting a room, thank you very much,” Daichi said, smirking. He didn’t look mad at all.

“Poor Kageyama! I’m so sorry,” Ennoshita called, even though he was buckled over with laughter.

Tobio’s face grew even hotter.

“Aw, stop it, you’re embarrassing him! Don’t be so mean!” Suga giggled, eyes alight with mischief. “Ah, I’m sorry Kageyama. I just had to express my deepest love for my favorite setter.”

“It’s fine,” he murmured.

After the laughter had died down a little bit, the voices changed, now taunting Tobio to kiss Suga.

“Come on, Kageyama! Kiss him!” Bokuto yelled, jumping up and down.

Tobio sighed, rolling his eyes. Suga raised his eyebrows, wiggling them in a teasing way. Giving in, Tobio slowly leaned down, pressing his lips to Suga’s cheek in a long, soft, but chaste kiss. He leaned back just as slow and gave him a small smile.

“Aw, I’m gonna cry, that was so sweet!” Noya exclaimed, wiping fake tears from his eye.

“To be young and innocent, again” Tanaka said, hand swung across Noya’s shoulder and offering him an imaginary handkerchief.

Everyone cheered and clapped, and a few people even whistled. Eventually, the noise died down and people began resuming their conversations.

“See, that wasn’t so bad, now was it?” Suga laughed. “Sorry about the multiple kisses, but I figured if I was excessive, Hinata would get jealous enough to talk to you.”

Tobio rolled his eyes, deciding not to reprimand his senpai for his constant meddling. He decided now was a good time as any to try and talk to Hinata again. Looking around anxiously, he couldn’t see Hinata anywhere nearby.

“Suga, did you see where Hinata went?” Tobio asked.

“Sorry, I didn’t, maybe you can ask Yachi?” Suga suggested, expression apologetic. “But, good luck! Remember that words from the heart are the best way to ask for forgiveness.”

“Okay. Thanks for the advice,” Tobio said, moving to begin his search.

Tobio walked around, looking for Yachi and Hinata as he went. He finally saw the small blonde standing at the far end of the deck.

“Hey, Yachi. Have you seen Hinata?” Tobio inquired.

“Yeah, he told me he was going to walk to the lake to watch the sunset. He seemed to be a little upset, I mean, he was already upset before, but now…” Yachi trailed off. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. “Anyways, he should be there. But, try to get him to come back, okay? I want to take a picture of us before the night ends, and it’s getting late.”

“Okay, thanks, Yachi,” Tobio said, making his way to the deck’s stairs.

Tobio walked down the stairs and continued into the yard. He walked across the soft grass, preparing himself for his talk with Hinata. Hopefully, Hinata would listen to what he had to say. He wouldn’t have it any other way. Even if he had to hold Hinata down, he would make him listen. _Well_ , Tobio thought, _I wouldn’t do that_. If Hinata didn’t want to listen, then he couldn’t stop him from walking away. So, he would just have to make every word count.

Walking along the footpath, Tobio continued his trek into the forest. The area was filled with greenery and undergrowth, but Tobio couldn’t waste time on inspection. It was time for him to communicate his feelings to Hinata. Admiring nature could come later, once he had made himself clear.

It wasn’t long before he had made his way to the lake. The water was a gorgeous deep blue, reflecting the sun’s dying rays. There was a long wooden dock nearby, leading to an array of boats from people in the area. From where he was, Tobio could see a small figure sitting down at the edge of the dock. Tobio wiped the sweat from his palms on his shirt. He patted his hand on his pocket, reassuring himself that he still had his surprise for Hinata. Then, he began to walk up the dock, his future and past coming together to guide him in the present.

Hinata was sitting quietly with his feet hanging over the edge of the dock. His posture was relaxed, but, as he drew closer, Tobio could see that his face was drawn in a frown, as if the beautiful sunset was causing him pain. This sad expression made Tobio stop for a second because he knew that he was the one that put it there. Maybe he was too late to fix it. But, Tobio gathered the courage to walk forward, knowing he had to at least try.

“Can I join you?” Tobio asked.

Hinata continued looking at the horizon, remaining quiet. The silence stretched between them, so long that Tobio almost repeated his question. As he began to form the words, Hinata said, “Sure. I can’t stop you.”

Tobio moved forward and took his place beside Hinata. He looked at the sunset, too. The rays of the sun were dancing in their own patterns, moving to their own tune. It was a sight to behold, but Tobio wasn’t here to admire the sunset.

“Yachi wants to take a picture with you,” Tobio started, searching for a way to start the conversation.

“I’ll go back, eventually,” Hinata murmured, eyeing the sky.

“How are you?” Tobio said, turning to Hinata.

Hinata did not look at him. “Fine, I guess. Or, at least, as fine as I can be.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Tobio sighed, guiltily thinking about all the trouble he had created.

“Well, it’s not like I’m not used to it. And, we both said some pretty dumb things. But, yeah, you did hurt me a lot,” Hinata said, still not looking at Tobio.

“I’m sorry,” Tobio tried, again. It was hard to communicate what he was thinking, when it seemed he always said the wrong thing. He thought about what Suga said, deciding to speak from his heart. “At the time, I didn’t realize how much you were suffering because of me. I was oblivious to all the wounds I had inflicted, instead thinking they were someone else’s fault. Then, that night, when our emotions were at their highest, I had misinterpreted your words and made it worse. Although, I guess both of our meanings were lost in translation.”

“What do you mean?” Hinata asked, curiosity in his voice. He finally turned his eyes to meet Tobio’s.

“I mean, that we keep arguing, bickering, and fighting without realizing that we’re both on the same team. Every time we get close to our goal, one of us messes up and we let it fall apart. And, I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to fight with you, not against you,” Tobio said, hoping Hinata understood what he meant.

“I’m sorry, but I still don’t get it. What are we fighting for?” Hinata’s eyes swimming with confusion.

Tobio took Hinata’s hands in his own. Hinata eyed them but didn’t pull away. “We’re fighting for the times we spend together. We’re fighting for the laughter we share. We’re fighting for the quiet moments when we just enjoy being with one another. We’re fighting for all those late nights we spend at the gym. We’re fighting for the way we feel for each other. We’re fighting for every single moment, every single breath, even the ones that pit against each other. We’re fighting for us.”

Hinata’s breaths became raspy. “Kageyama—if you’re saying what I think you’re saying—”

Tobio reached up with one of his hands and slowly stroked Hinata’s face. “At the end of the day, when all has been said and all has been done, there’s only one person I want by my side. There’s only one person I want to hold, only one person I want to see, only one person with whom I can just be. Hinata, even though we fight, we both want the same thing. What’s important is that we can put aside our arguments and realize that all we want is to be with each other.”

The air was thick with anticipation. Hinata stared into Tobio’s eyes, as if he could find the words that he wanted there. “Kageyama.”

“You bring out the best in me. I know I’ve said it before, but you really have made me a better person. From the way I communicate to the way I play volleyball to the way I am around others. You make me smile, you make me happy, you make me think about how incredibly lucky I must have been to have met a person like you. I thank every star and power that has brought us together. They have made me the happiest man alive,” Tobio expressed, his emotions overwhelming him.

“I love you, Hinata. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it, and even longer to tell you,” Tobio said, quietly. He continued to softly caress Hinata’s cheek.

“But, then why did you say all those things to me, about not caring how I feel?” Hinata asked, bewildered.

“You didn’t tell me who you were in love with. I assumed it was someone else, and I thought you were ditching our friendship because of them.”

“But,” Hinata said, incredulous. “That’s ludicrous! I would never end our friendship over something like that. Wait a minute! You told me you didn’t love anyone like that!”

“I lied. Sorry,” Tobio apologized. “I didn’t have the courage to tell you when I thought you were in love with someone else.”

“Bakeyama! Are you stupid?” Hinata cried, smacking Tobio on the shoulder so Tobio’s hand dropped.

“Apparently so. Although,” Tobio hesitated. “You never did tell me how you feel.”

Hinata sighed, picking up Tobio’s hand and placing it back on his own cheek. Tobio began to softly touch Hinata’s smooth face again. Hinata leaned into the touch, closing his eyes. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this moment. I dreamed about hearing those words from you. I wished, I hoped, I begged, praying that you might feel the same way I did. Or do.”

Hinata opened his eyes, reaching up to hold Tobio’s hand against his face. “I love you, Kageyama. More than words can say, more than what I can fathom, even more than volleyball,” Hinata finished, with a slight laugh.

“Hm. I don’t know if I love you more than volleyball,” Tobio said, humming in fake thought.

“Shut up, idiot,” Hinata smiled.

“Fine. I love you more than volleyball. Gosh, you make me say the most embarrassing things,” Tobio complained.

“Get used to it,” Hinata giggled.

Tobio breathed deeply, finally dropping his hand. He looked into the darkening sky. “I wish we had spent our month before university together instead of apart.”

“Me too,” Hinata said, sadly. “At least we can be together from now on.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that we’re going to completely different universities,” Tobio lamented.

“Oh, well actually—” Hinata began, but Tobio cut him off.

“Wait. I have something for you,” Tobio said, reaching into his pocket, pulling out the wrapped gifts.

Hinata eyed them curiously. “What are they?”

“Open them,” Tobio grinned, giddy as can be.

Hinata began to unwrap the gifts. He carefully removed the tissue paper, revealing the cords of leather underneath. Holding them up, Hinata’s eyes lit up, before finally resting on the charms.

“Is this…?” Hinata trailed off.

“Yes,” Tobio smiled. “They’re for us to wear when we are apart, so that we’ll always be reminded of each other. I figured, I could wear the one with the sun, and you…”

“Could wear the one with the waves, to always remind me of my ocean,” Hinata finished, eyes swimming with tears.

Tobio looked warily at Hinata. “Is this okay? I mean, I can always take them back and get different ones.”

Hinata wiped the tears away from his eye. “They’re perfect. Can we put them on?”

“Sure,” Tobio said. He picked up the leather bracelet with the waves and pulled Hinata’s hand towards him. With careful precision, he untied the knot and then looped the bracelet around Hinata’s wrist. He tied it tightly, and then admired his work. He started untying his own bracelet before Hinata stopped him.

“Wait, I want to do it,” Hinata said, reaching his hand out to grasp the chord.

“Okay,” Tobio acquiesced, stretching out his arm. Hinata untied the knot, then carefully wrapped the leather around Tobio’s wrist. Hinata retied the knot tightly, then held out his own hand to compare.

“They look good on us,” Hinata smiled. “I love them. And, every time I look at it, I’ll think of you.”

“Good, because I don’t want you going to school and falling in love with some other setter—“ Tobio started.

“Uhm, actually. Kageyama, I have something to tell you,” Hinata said, quietly.

Tobio’s heart dropped. “What is it?”

Hinata fiddled with his hands. “Next semester, well—I decided, the best course of my future would be to attend university with the best volleyball. So, I’m going with you. To university,” Hinata finished, grinning.

Tobio couldn’t believe the words he was hearing. “Are you serious?!”

“Yes,” Hinata smiled, sheepishly. “My aunt decided to leave her job so she offered to move in and help take care of Natsu. I’ll still visit, but I won’t have to make watching her my priority. So, my mom said I could go to your university. And, after all you said, I didn’t want us to be apart either. It took a little while to get the transfer paperwork processed, but I did it. I’ve actually been practicing with the team for a little while.”

Tobio’s head was spinning, connecting the dots. “Then, that’s how everyone found out about my sprained ankle. You told them.”

Hinata grimaced. “Yeah, sorry about that. I was really worried. But, I was still upset so I asked Suga to go check on you.”

“Oh. Right,” Tobio said. “I owe him a lot. He’s the one who helped get my act together.”

“He’s a great friend,” Hinata said, his bitter tone at contrast with his words. He turned away from Tobio.

Tobio was confused by Hinata’s change in mood. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Hinata said, refusing to look at Tobio.

“Hinata, we talked about this. I misinterpret things a lot, so you have to tell me what’s wrong so I can fix it,” Tobio pressed.

Hinata hesitated, finally turning back towards Tobio, but still avoiding looking in his eyes. “I was… I was just jealous.” Hinata blushed a bright red.

“Jealous? Of Suga? Why would you be—oh,” Tobio cut off, recalling what had happened earlier. “Right. That. He was pretty expressive.”

“That’s not what I was jealous of,” Hinata said, quietly.

“It’s not?”

“I was jealous of your kiss, at how soft and tender it was. It was so sweet, and coming from you, well… I couldn’t help but wish I was the one receiving it,” Hinata blushed.

Tobio’s own face was very red. “Well… we could always do that now,” Tobio coughed, awkwardly.

“What?!” Hinata squawked.

Tobio smoothed down his pants. Then, he brought his hands to both sides of Hinata’s face. “Hinata, can I kiss you?”

“Well, uh, I mean, yes! Of course you can,” Hinata sputtered.

Tobio smiled, stroking Hinata’s cheek with his finger. Then, turning his head slightly, he leaned in and closed the distance between them.

He pressed his lips to Hinata’s in a soft, long, chaste kiss. Tobio almost pulled back, but Hinata reached his arms around, holding fast. Hinata opened his mouth, deepening the kiss, and Tobio followed suit.

It was an overload of sensation for Tobio. He could feel Hinata’s sweet breath, feel his soft cheeks under his hands, and experience the soft texture of Hinata’s lips. His heart beat rapidly, and his mind was racing, but it was the most blissful Tobio had ever felt. The kiss was a promise of love and friendship and of much more to come. It was the culmination of their missed connections, their mutual pining, their constant fighting, and finally, the long awaited fruition of their love.

Tobio put all he had into the kiss, his love, his care, and his promise to be with Hinata always. In his caress, in his lips, in the way he held Hinata, he hoped his love was coming across in tenfold. He wanted Hinata to know how much he cherished him and how much he would treasure every minute they spent together. Tobio’s breath sped up, and his overwhelming emotions bled into the embrace. Hinata responded in kind, increasing the intensity and speed of the kiss. Hinata nipped and licked at Tobio’s mouth to deepen it further, and Tobio responded with a moan.

Tobio’s heartbeat was pounding in his ears, and he could feel himself yearning for more contact. He pulled Hinata into his lap, which earned him a surprised gasp. Hinata pulled away from their embrace and began to laugh.

“What?” Tobio asked, sure he did something wrong.

“Nothing. It’s just, that was very hot, but we shouldn’t get carried away. We are outdoors, after all,” Hinata said, gesturing to their surroundings. “Although, it is getting dark out,” Hinata laughed.

“Oh, right,” Tobio murmured, blushing a deep red.

“Aw, it’s okay. We’ll have all our years at university to make up for lost time,” Hinata winked, suggestively.

Tobio rolled his eyes. “You’re such a dumbass.”

“But you love me,” Hinata smiled down at him.

“I do. I love you, Hinata,” Tobio said, leaning in again.

“And, I love you,” Hinata replied, leaning in, too.

The kiss was sweet and innocent after that. They were enjoying exploring together, but they didn’t push it further. Eventually, after some time had passed, Hinata pulled away again.

“We should probably get back. I have to take that picture with Yachi, and the fireworks should start soon,” Hinata said.

“Okay,” Tobio said, a little sad.

“Ha ha! Now that you’ve had a taste, you only want more,” Hinata winked, before crawling out of Tobio’s lap and standing up. He offered his hands to Tobio. “Come on, let’s get going.”

Tobio took his offer, and stood up, before using their linked hands to pull Hinata into his arms. He embraced Hinata, holding Hinata’s face to his chest, stroking his hair.

“Hey, Hinata?” Tobio said.

“Yes. Though, you can call me Shouyou, now,” Hinata grinned, stroking Tobio’s back.

“Shouyou, are we dating now?” Tobio asked.

“What do you think, Tobio?” Hinata asked. Tobio shivered a bit. He liked the way his name sounded coming from Hinata.

Tobio didn’t even have to think about it. “I think there’s no one else I’d rather be with than you.”

“Me too. So, boyfriends?” Hinata said, looking up at Tobio.

“Boyfriends,” Tobio grinned, finally releasing Hinata. He took Hinata’s hand in his and they began to walk back towards the Suga’s house.

When they arrived at the house, they were greeted by the hoots and hollers of their friends at the new relationship.

“Eh! Looks like you two made up,” Tanaka grinned, motioning at their joined hands.

“Aw, my sons are all grown up. We’ve done well, Daichi,” Suga said, holding onto his boyfriend’s arm.

“At least the rest of us can stop having to deal with their mutual pining,” Tsukki grumbled.

Tobio rolled his eyes. “Well, are we going to light these fireworks, or not?”

The crowd cheered, and they all began to make their way to the lake. Suga caught up to Hinata and Tobio on their walk down.

“I’m glad you two made up. Seriously,” Suga said, hand-in-hand with Daichi.

“It’s all thanks to you, Suga,” Tobio replied, grinning.

“Well, just remember your promise, okay?” Suga smirked, walking away with Daichi.

Tobio blushed at the memory. Of course, he knew he would be with Hinata forever. But, marriage was still a long ways off. They both had dreams to pursue before that, Tobio thought, looking at Hinata. However, that didn’t mean they couldn’t follow those dreams together.

As they reached the lake and waited for the pyromaniacs to light the fireworks, Tobio thought about all the things that had led him to this moment. He thought of the people he met, the volleyball games he had played, the training he had gone through, and every moment he had shared with Hinata. He didn’t know when his friendship had grown into love, but he was thankful for all the moments that had brought him here to experience this much happiness.

He turned towards Hinata, looking at the way the moonlight reflected on his face.

“What?” Hinata asked, self-conscious.

“I just can’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else but right here, with you,” Tobio smiled, softly.

Hinata smiled back, stepping into Tobio’s arms, and standing on his tiptoes to plant a soft kiss on his lips. Tobio had leaned a bit down to allow him access. They kissed and then parted, staring into each other’s eyes as they heard the first crack of the fireworks.

They turned forward, Hinata stepping in front so that Tobio could loop his arms around him, resting his head on Hinata’s. As the fireworks lit up the night, creating their own masterpiece, Tobio looked on in awe.

Though the fireworks only lit up the sky for a moment, it was enough.

Enough, that it kept Tobio wanting more.

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the Haikyuu Writing Room's April prompt, the topic being the first day after graduation (as you can see, I went a liittttle bit past that, haha). 
> 
> I have to thank a few people for helping me finish this project. 
> 
> First, Christie for always cheering me on and reading snippets I sent, who you can find here as [typewritings.](https://archiveofourown.org/users/typewritings/pseuds/typewritings)
> 
> Also, I have to thank Cham and Lu for editing the beginning stages of my work, on AO3 as [weirdmilk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/weirdmilk) and [loveintheveins.](https://archiveofourown.org/users/loveintheveins/pseuds/loveintheveins) They're all great writers, so go check them out! Plus, they're all doing the monthly prompts too. I recommend reading Cham's long iwaoi fic about mental illness because she portrays it very well.
> 
> I also want to thank Viking for not slaughtering me for going out the constraints of the prompt (the day after graduation was like two pages, haha) and for distracting me with the stage play. You can find her Tanaka/Noya works under [Nishinoya4Yuu.](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nishinoya4Yuu)
> 
> I guess I ended up thanking most of my internet friends, haha.
> 
> I want to get better at writing and I have a lot of ideas, so you'll be hearing from me very soon. Thanks for reading!


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